SC notices to Centre, DCA on consumer courts

NEW DELHI, February 23: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Union Government and the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) on a public interest petition seeking immediate filling up of vacancies for president of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and all other consumer courts in the country.

The notices were issued by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice M M Punchhi on the petition filed by Common Cause, a registered society.In its petition, Common Cause said several consumer courts, including the National Commission, were without presidents or members, as a result of which their functioning had come to a complete standstill. “The inevitable consequence was that the pendency of cases in such courts had risen and may go beyond controllable limits,” the petition said.

It said complaints had also been received about lack of infrastructure and funding. Proper remuneration and adequate facilities were not being made available to the presidents and members of these courts. Thepetition said a sense of exasperation and frustration was setting in with regard to the implementation of the Consumer Protection Act and a beneficial legislation enacted by parliament was going to seed.