Overview
- A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra dismissed Poly Medicure Ltd.'s appeal against Brillio Technologies over an allegedly defective software licence.
- The Court held that purchases made with the dominant intention of generating profit fall outside the definition of 'consumer' under Section 2(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
- Companies acquiring software to automate or enhance business processes were deemed to be engaging in commercial transactions rather than consumer purchases.
- The judgment distinguished self-employed individuals, who may qualify as consumers when buying goods or services to earn a livelihood, from corporate entities seeking business efficiency and profit.
- The decision affirms prior rulings of the Delhi SCDRC (2019) and the NCDRC (2020) and signals that B2B disputes should proceed via contractual, arbitration, or commercial court remedies.