Mandatory Levy of Service Charge by Restaurants Violates Consumer Law: CCPA

• CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority), the apex statutory consumer regulator under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, has held mandatory/automatic levy of service charge by restaurants to be an unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the Act.
• Topic sits at the intersection of consumer rights, regulatory enforcement and a recent Delhi HC ruling (28 Mar 2025) — examinable for GS-II (governance, statutory bodies) and GS-III (consumer welfare).