Question : Disposal of Pending Consumer Cases

(a) whether the Union Government proposes to increase the number of consumer courts for early disposal of pending cases in consumer courts of the country, if so, the details thereof along with the number of the existing consumer courts at various levels;
(b) whether a large number of cases are pending in consumer courts across the country and if so, the number of pending cases therein till date, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) the reasons for large number of vacancies of chairmen and members in consumer courts across the country and the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(d) whether any special provision has been made or likely to be made by the Union Government for early disposal of such pending cases and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a) : As per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, the State Governments are to establish a State Commission in the state and a District Forum in each district of the State. The State Government may, if it deems fit, establish more than one District Forum in a district. At present, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, 35 State Commissions and 675 District Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora have been established.





(b) : The details of the pending cases, as per information provided by the National Commission, are given in the Annexure.

(c) : As per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, it is the responsibility of the State Government/UT concerned to fill up the vacancies of President and Member in the District Forum and the State Commission. The Central Government has been writing from time to time to the States to initiate advance action for filling up of the existing and anticipated vacancies. As regards National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), the Central Government fills up the vacancies of President and Member. Applications have been invited to fill up the vacancies in the NCDRC.

(d) : For monitoring and supervision of the functioning of the State Commissions and the District Fora, the National Commission has issued, with the prior approval of the Central Government, the Consumer Protection (Administrative Control over the State Commission and the District Forum) Regulations, 2018. In addition, various steps are being taken by the National Commission and the State Commissions for speedy disposal of consumer cases by holding Circuit Benches. The National Commission has also constituted Single Member Bench(es) for speedy disposal of cases. Matters of the same / similar nature are being bunched together for disposal. Further, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which has been published in Official Gazette on 9th August 2019, provides for simplification of the adjudication process in the Consumer Fora which will reduce the pendency of the cases.

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