Speedy redressal of cases has made consumer king

One of the objectives of the Consumer Protection Act,1986,is to provide a speedy redressal to consumer disputes.

One of the objectives of the Consumer Protection Act,1986,is to provide a speedy redressal to consumer disputes. A quasi-judicial machinery has,therefore,been set up at the district,state and central levels.

These quasi-judicial bodies consumer forums,state commissions and national commissions have been empowered to provide relief and compensation to consumers.

Prior to the Act,consumers had to approach the civil courts for securing justice and going by tradition,it meant a tedious process spanning over several years.

Story continues below this ad

The consumer forum,therefore,is an alternative forum established under the Act to discharge the functions of the civil court.

For speedy trials,the Opposite Party is mandated to file a written reply in less than 45 days. If this is not adhered to,the purpose of speedy trial is defeated.

The consumer forums here follow the above principle,a proof of which is the nearly 2,000 cases disposed of by the UT state commission in the last one year. These cases were transferred from the state commissions of Haryana and Punjab.

Former president of the state commission K C Gupta is given credit for having ushered in a revolution of sorts by delivering judgments that in many ways has made the consumer the king.

Story continues below this ad

The trend of delivering consumer-friendly judgments is also being followed by both the consumer forums of UT. People from all walks of life,ranging from milkmen to politicians,are coming forward with consumer complaints.

To ensure that the mechanism is not misused,the forums in Chandigarh have set an example of sorts by imposing penalty of Rs 5,000 to 10,000 on those held guilty of filing false and frivolous complaints.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram