Punjab Newsline | National
The Central Government has made it clear that hotels and restaurants cannot add extra charges like “LPG charge” to customer bills. They are only allowed to include government taxes, apart from the food prices listed on the menu.
Amid the ongoing LPG concerns, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has said that all operational costs—such as gas, rent, or staff expenses—must already be included in the menu prices. Restaurants cannot add these as separate charges later.
If any restaurant adds extra fees citing rising gas prices or other expenses, it will be considered a violation of the rules.
Example from Bengaluru
The café applied a discount of ₹17.90 (5%) and then added a 5% 'Gas Crisis Charge'—amounting to ₹17.01—along with GST. This brought the total bill to ₹374.
What You Can Do
If you notice any such extra charges on your bill, you can take action:
- Call: National Consumer Helpline at 1915
- App: File a complaint through the NCH mobile app
- Online: Use the e-Jagriti portal
- Local Authority: You can also complain to your District Collector or CCPA