1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This Cancellation and Refund Policy explains how cancellation, rescheduling and refund requests may be handled for eligible bookings and paid services offered by Sri Devagiri Venkateshwaraswami Temple Trust ("Trust"). It applies to bookings made through an official Temple website, authorised booking counter or another channel expressly recognised by the Trust.
This Policy may apply to darshan arrangements, sevas, poojas, religious ceremonies, festival programmes, accommodation and other paid facilities where cancellation or refund arrangements are offered. The applicable service description and any specific conditions shown before payment must be read together with this Policy.
2 IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE
Cancellation and refund eligibility depends on the type of service, the time at which the request is received, whether the service has already been performed or commenced, whether resources have been committed, and any specific conditions communicated at the time of booking.
Payment for a booking does not automatically mean that the booking can be cancelled or refunded. Devotees should review the applicable service-specific conditions before completing payment. Where the Trust has not announced a refund option for a particular service, users should contact the Trust for clarification rather than assume that a refund is available.
3 SERVICES COVERED BY THIS POLICY
Subject to the conditions applicable to each service, this Policy may cover:
Free-entry darshan, voluntary donations and services without a booking payment may be governed by separate administrative or donation procedures rather than the refund provisions for paid bookings.
4 SERVICE-SPECIFIC REFUND CONDITIONS
Different services may have different cancellation rules. For example, a scheduled pooja or seva may involve prior arrangements, priest coordination, ritual materials or a fixed religious schedule. Accommodation may involve reserved capacity and preparation. Festival arrangements may be subject to crowd and event planning.
The Trust may therefore publish separate cancellation deadlines, eligibility conditions or restrictions for individual services. Those specific conditions should be displayed or communicated before payment wherever practicable and will apply to the relevant booking to the extent they are consistent with applicable law.
If no service-specific condition is available, the devotee should contact the Trust before assuming that a cancellation or refund will be accepted.
5 HOW TO REQUEST A CANCELLATION
A cancellation request should be submitted through the official contact channel or booking facility designated by the Trust. Where an online booking account provides a cancellation option, the devotee should follow the instructions shown there and retain the acknowledgement.
The request should include the booking reference or ticket number, name used for the booking, registered mobile number or email address, service name, booking date, scheduled service date and a clear request to cancel. A payment transaction reference may also be required when relevant.
A request sent to an unofficial social-media account, personal number, unauthorised agent or unrelated email address may not reach the Trust and should not be treated as a valid cancellation unless the Trust confirms receipt.
6 CANCELLATION REQUEST DEADLINES
Any deadline for requesting cancellation will depend on the service and will be stated in the relevant booking conditions where the Trust has set one. Devotees should submit requests as early as possible and should not wait until the scheduled service time.
Requests received after a stated deadline, after the service has commenced or after the service has been performed may not qualify for cancellation or refund. The Trust may consider exceptional circumstances where permitted by its approved procedures and applicable law, but an exception is not guaranteed.
Where a booking has no published cancellation deadline, the devotee should contact the Trust promptly for guidance. The Trust should communicate the applicable decision and any available remedy.
7 INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
To verify a cancellation or refund request, the Trust may ask for the booking confirmation, ticket, receipt, transaction reference, registered contact details and a brief explanation of the request.
Where a request is made by someone other than the person named on the booking or payment, the Trust may require reasonable evidence that the requester is authorised to act for the relevant person. Verification is intended to protect devotees and prevent unauthorised changes or refunds.
Users should not send passwords, card PINs, UPI PINs or one-time passwords as part of a cancellation or refund request. Such credentials are not required to verify a booking.
8 REFUND ELIGIBILITY
A refund may be considered where the relevant service-specific policy permits it, where the Trust cancels a service and no equivalent alternative is accepted or available, where an eligible payment has been duplicated or incorrectly collected, or in another circumstance where a refund is required by applicable law or approved Trust procedure.
Refund eligibility will be assessed against the booking record, payment status, service status, timing of the request, applicable conditions and any relevant supporting information.
A refund will not ordinarily be available merely because a devotee changes their mind, does not attend, arrives after the permitted reporting time, selects the wrong service or date, or is unable to use a confirmed booking, unless the service-specific policy or applicable law provides otherwise.
9 NON-REFUNDABLE OR RESTRICTED BOOKINGS
Some bookings may be designated non-cancellable or non-refundable where this is clearly communicated before payment and is permitted by applicable law. This may apply to certain time-specific religious services, completed arrangements, services already performed, or bookings involving costs or preparations that cannot reasonably be reversed.
Where a booking is stated to be non-refundable, the Trust should make that condition visible before the user confirms payment. Such a condition will not remove any refund right that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Any administrative deduction, cancellation charge or non-refundable component must be disclosed in the applicable booking conditions before payment and must comply with applicable law. This Policy does not create an undisclosed fee.
10 CANCELLATION BY THE TRUST
The Trust may cancel, postpone, suspend or materially change a service due to religious requirements, priest or service availability, maintenance, safety concerns, crowd management, weather, public-authority directions, technical failure or other circumstances affecting the Temple's ability to provide the service.
Where a confirmed booking is affected, the Trust will make reasonable efforts to notify the registered contact details or publish an official notice. The communication should explain, as far as reasonably possible, whether the service is cancelled, postponed, rescheduled or being offered in an alternative form.
Where the Trust cancels a paid service and cannot provide the booked service or an acceptable alternative, the Trust will assess the appropriate refund or other remedy under the applicable service conditions and law.
11 RESCHEDULING AND DATE CHANGES
Instead of cancelling a booking, a devotee may request a change of date or time where the service permits rescheduling. Approval depends on availability, the nature of the religious service, the time remaining before the scheduled date and the operational arrangements already made.
A rescheduling request is not effective until the Trust confirms the revised date or time. The original booking should not be treated as changed merely because a request has been submitted.
If rescheduling is not available, the request may be assessed under the cancellation and refund conditions applicable to that service. The Trust may not be able to reschedule a service that is tied to a particular festival, religious occasion or fixed ceremony.
12 DEVOTEE NON-ATTENDANCE OR LATE ARRIVAL
If a devotee does not attend the booked service, or arrives after the permitted reporting time, the booking may be treated as unused or missed. Unless the relevant service conditions or applicable law provide otherwise, an unused or missed booking may not qualify for a refund or automatic rescheduling.
Devotees are responsible for checking the booking date, time, location, entry instructions and reporting requirements and for allowing sufficient time for travel, security checks and queues.
If an emergency or exceptional circumstance prevents attendance, the devotee may contact the Trust with the booking details. Any consideration of the request will depend on the service conditions and the Trust's approved procedures; it should not be assumed that an exception will be granted.
13 DUPLICATE PAYMENTS
If a devotee believes that the same booking amount has been debited more than once, the devotee should first check whether more than one booking confirmation or receipt was generated. The devotee should then contact the Trust with the relevant transaction references, dates and amounts.
The Trust may verify its booking records and payment-provider reports before determining whether a duplicate collection occurred. If a duplicate payment is confirmed and is eligible for reversal, the Trust will initiate the appropriate refund or correction through the relevant payment channel.
A bank statement entry alone may show a pending authorisation rather than a completed payment. The payment provider or bank may need to confirm the final transaction status.
14 FAILED OR PENDING PAYMENTS
A payment may appear debited or pending even when the booking system has not received final confirmation. Users should check the booking status and avoid making repeated payments until the first transaction has been verified, where practicable.
If the payment is confirmed as failed or reversed by the payment provider, the booking may remain unconfirmed. If the amount is successfully captured but the booking was not created, the user should provide the transaction reference so that the Trust and payment provider can investigate.
Any reversal or refund of a failed or pending transaction may be controlled by the bank, card network, UPI provider or payment gateway. The Trust cannot guarantee a processing time controlled by an independent provider.
15 REFUND METHOD
Where a refund is approved for an online payment, it will generally be processed through the original payment method or payment channel where technically and legally possible. This helps ensure that the amount is returned to the verified payer or source account.
For payments made at an authorised counter, the Trust will communicate the applicable refund procedure and any verification required. A refund will not be paid to an unrelated person or account without appropriate verification and authorisation.
The Trust may request additional information reasonably required by the payment provider or by its own accounting controls. Users should provide such information only through verified official channels.
16 REFUND PROCESSING AND BANK TIMINGS
After a refund is approved and initiated, the time taken for the amount to appear in the payer's account may depend on the bank, payment gateway, card network, UPI provider or other payment service. The Trust cannot guarantee the exact date on which an independent provider will credit the amount.
Where available, the Trust may provide a refund reference, transaction identifier or confirmation of initiation so that the payer can follow up with the relevant bank or payment provider.
If an approved refund has not appeared within the period indicated by the payment provider, the devotee should contact the Trust with the original transaction reference and any refund reference already provided.
17 PAYMENT GATEWAY AND THIRD-PARTY CHARGES
Payment gateways, banks and other financial service providers may impose processing or transaction charges under their own terms. Whether any such charge is refundable depends on the provider's rules, the transaction type and applicable law.
The Trust will not impose a separate cancellation or administrative deduction unless that amount and the basis for it have been clearly disclosed in the applicable booking conditions before payment and are permitted by law.
Any refund calculation should identify the amount being returned and any permitted deduction so that the devotee can understand the outcome.
18 DONATIONS AND VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS
Donations and voluntary contributions are distinct from payments made for a specific bookable service. A donation is generally made voluntarily to support the religious, charitable, maintenance or other lawful activities of the Trust and does not automatically create a right to a service or benefit.
A donor who believes that a donation was made by mistake, duplicated or sent to an incorrect authorised Trust account should contact the Trust promptly with the transaction details. The Trust will review the circumstances and handle the request in accordance with applicable law, financial records and approved Trust procedures.
Donations should not be assumed refundable merely because a donor later changes their mind. Nothing in this section limits a refund or correction that is required by applicable law or is approved after verification of an error.
19 ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITY REFUNDS
Cancellation and refund conditions for accommodation, lodging, parking or other facilities may differ from those for darshan or religious services. The applicable facility rules should state any cancellation deadline, no-show condition, deposit treatment, check-in or check-out requirement and permitted deductions before payment.
If a facility becomes unavailable due to a reason attributable to the Trust, the Trust will review the booking and communicate an appropriate alternative or eligible refund in accordance with the published conditions and applicable law.
Damage, loss or additional charges arising from misuse of a facility may be assessed separately under the facility rules and applicable law. Such charges should be supported by the relevant records and should not be treated as an undisclosed cancellation fee.
20 FESTIVAL AND SPECIAL-EVENT REFUNDS
Festival, special darshan and event bookings may be subject to unique arrangements, fixed schedules, capacity limits and substantial preparation. Their cancellation and refund conditions should be clearly communicated at the time of booking.
If an event is postponed, relocated, modified or cancelled, the Trust will communicate the available options where reasonably practicable. The applicable remedy may depend on whether the event is rescheduled, an equivalent arrangement is offered, or the service cannot be provided.
Devotees should rely on official announcements and not on unofficial messages or social-media posts when checking changes to a festival or event.
21 REQUEST REVIEW AND DECISION
The Trust may review a request by checking the booking record, payment status, service schedule, date and time of receipt, relevant policy and supporting documents. Additional information may be requested where necessary to make a fair and accurate decision.
The Trust will communicate the decision through an appropriate contact channel where the requester has supplied valid contact details. If a request is declined, the Trust should provide a brief explanation based on the applicable condition or facts, to the extent reasonably practicable.
Submitting a request does not guarantee approval. A request will be considered consistently with the published conditions, the Trust's authorised procedures and applicable law.
22 FRAUDULENT OR UNAUTHORISED REFUND REQUESTS
The Trust may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of a person requesting cancellation or refund. Requests involving false documents, altered receipts, impersonation, unauthorised access or attempts to obtain duplicate refunds may be rejected and, where appropriate, referred to the relevant authorities.
Users should protect their booking references and payment information. The Trust will not ask for passwords, card PINs, UPI PINs or OTPs to process a refund.
23 COMPLAINTS AND ESCALATION
If a devotee is dissatisfied with the handling of a cancellation or refund request, the devotee may submit a written complaint through the Trust's verified official contact channel. The complaint should include the booking reference, transaction reference, date of request, earlier communication and a clear explanation of the concern.
The Trust will make reasonable efforts to review the complaint and respond through an appropriate channel. This internal process does not prevent a person from approaching a competent consumer, statutory or judicial authority where permitted by law.
24 CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
The Trust may update this Policy to reflect changes in services, booking methods, payment arrangements, administrative procedures or applicable law. The current version should be made available through the official Temple website or other authorised booking channel.
Any revised policy should identify its effective or updated date. Changes will be applied subject to applicable law and any specific terms that govern a booking already confirmed.
25 GOVERNING LAW AND GENERAL CONDITIONS
This Policy is governed by the laws applicable in India. Any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts or authorities in accordance with applicable law.
If any provision of this Policy is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in this Policy excludes or restricts a right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
This Policy should be read together with the Trust's Booking Terms and Conditions, general Temple Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and any service-specific conditions communicated to the devotee.
26 IMPORTANT IMPLEMENTATION NOTE
This document is a detailed policy template for Sri Devagiri Venkateshwaraswami Temple Trust. Before publication, the Trust should approve actual cancellation deadlines, service-specific eligibility, any permitted deductions, refund channels, staff responsibilities and the process for handling requests.
The Trust should ensure that all applicable cancellation and refund conditions are shown to devotees before payment, are consistent across the website and authorised counters, and comply with applicable consumer, payment and data-protection requirements. A qualified legal professional should review the final policy before adoption.