<span style="color: #222222;">Central Consumer Protection Authority, CCPA has directed district collectors to ensure enforcement of Guidelines issued with regard to service tax by hotels and restaurants. Upon receiving related complaints, the district collector may conduct investigation pertaining to violation of the guidelines and submit the report to the Authority within 15 days.<br />''<br />''CCPA has written to Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs and District Collectors across India to arrange wide publicity of the guidelines along with its immediate implementation for protection of consumer interest. The letter gives clear direction that levying of service charge is in violation to the guidelines and constitutes unfair trade practice wherein affecting rights of consumers as a class, and cognizance of such complaints must be taken on priority.<br />''<br />''A number of consumers have registered their complaint on the National Consumer Helpline with regard to levying of service charge. From 1st of April last year to 20th of June, 537 complaints were lodged by consumers on levying of service charge. The major grievances include hotels and restaurants making service charge compulsory, embarrassing consumers in case they resist paying service charge, adding service charge by some other name and suppressing from consumers that paying service charge is optional and voluntary.<br />''<br />''After the guidelines were issued by CCPA on the 5th of July, 85 complaints have been registered on National Consumer Helpline. The top 5 cities of service charge complaints are New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Ghaziabad.</span><br />