Enactment of Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has set in motion a veritable consumer movement in the country. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a three tier quasi-judiciary machinery has been set up at District, State and National levels for better protection of the interests of consumers and to provide simple and speedy redressal of consumer disputes. At present, 647 District Fora, 35 State Commissions and at the apex level National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) are functioning. As on 31.12.2018, a total of 50,89,368 cases have been filed and 46,34,698 cases have been disposed of in all these Consumer Fora since their inception, thereby achieving a disposal rate of over 91%.

 

Total expenditure incurred during the last three years and the current year till 31.12.2018 on the maintenance of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is given below.

 

Year	Expenditure (in crore)
2015-16	11.00
2016-17	12.89
2017-18	14.32
2018-19 (till 31.12.2018)	12.42

 

However, maintenance of State Commissions and District Fora are the responsibility of State Governments concerned.

 

As per information available on Confonet website, total number of complaints filed and disposed of during the last three years & the current year in the National Commission, State Commissions & District Fora is given below:

 

	2016		2017		2018		2019
	Filed	Disposed	Filed	Disposed	Filed	Disposed	Filed	Disposed
NCDRC	7733	6070	10807	5899	9005	6378	623	355
SCDRC	32222	21773	34621	25875	28765	23304	2166	1530
District Forum	132462	113832	122225	107539	119653	96150	8519	6770
Total	172417	141675	167653	139313	157423	125832	11308	8655

 

However, no data related to consumer cases disposed of in favour of consumers is being maintained.

 

:  The following are the steps taken to dispose of pendency in consumer fora:-

 

1. 1. The National Commission holds Circuit Bench sittings as per the provisions of Section 22 C of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, for rendering speedy justice at the doorsteps of the consumers of that particular State.
2. 2. Some of the State Commissions and District Fora are holding Lok Adalats for speedy disposal of the cases.
3. 3. National Commission also conducts sittings during summer vacation.
4. 4. The National Commission has also constituted Single Member Bench(es) for speedy disposal of cases.
5. 5. In the National Commission, matters of the same / similar nature are being bunched together and disposed of.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri C.R. Chaudhary in  Lok Sabha today.

 

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