Man sues matrimonial site for failing to provide him a prospective bride

A 35-year-old man has sued an online matrimonial service provider for Rs 3 lakh damages. He had accused the portal of dishonesty & deficiency in service, alleging it had failed to find a prospective match for him after collecting Rs 59,180 as a non-refundable enrolment fee.

The complainant, who is a resident of Malleswaram, had registered with Elite Matrimony Services on June 17, 2019, in an attempt to find a prospective match. He had paid Rs 59,180 through a cheque & was waiting for the profiles of prospective brides.

The aspiring bridegroom alleged the portal, which had advertised to have over 1 lakh matches for its subscribers, failed to send him profiles despite him being a member for nearly 4 months. He said when he approached Elite Matrimony’s office with a complaint on the matter, he was treated rudely by a woman staffer.

The man approached the Bengaluru Rural & Urban 1st additional district consumer disputes redressal forum in Shantinagar with a complaint against Elite Matrimony Services on Oct 24, 2019, & sought a refund of his deposit & compensation of Rs 3 lakh for dishonest & deficient service.

The complainant presented his case on his own while the portal’s attorney claimed the complaint was frivolous, vexatious & with ulterior motives. Counsel for Elite Matrimony Services stated that the man had opted for the package & was provided profiles of fourteen prospective brides, of which he picked 2.

He further said the agency was not responsible if the match didn’t materialize as it was their job only to facilitate the matter.

Dismissing the complaint on July 23, 2021, the judges observed that an online matchmaking portal can’t assure positive response at all times and does not guarantee a marriage within the service provided. Moreover, the complainant has not denied the claim that 2 out of 14 profiles of prospective brides sent by the opposite party were accepted by him, they pointed out.