The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh, has organized a Two-Day Regional Workshop on Strengthening Consumer Protection Mechanisms on 21st and 22nd February 2026 at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The workshop reaffirmed the Department’s continued commitment to strengthening consumer justice delivery systems through technology adoption, institutional capacity building and inter-State collaboration.

The workshop was inaugurated in the august presence of Shri Dayaldas Baghel, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, Shri Justice A. P. Sahi, President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Shri. Justice Gautam Chourdiya, President of the Chhattisgarh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India and Smt. Reena Baba Saheb Kangale, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of Chhattisgarh.

In his address, Shri Dayaldas Baghel, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Chhattisgarh highlighted the growing commitment towards strengthening consumer rights. He underscored the importance of significant reforms such as e-filing, e-hearing and the use of Artificial Intelligence to ensure speedy, accessible and affordable consumer justice. He emphasized the need to address emerging challenges in digital e-commerce, including dark patterns and effective execution of Consumer Commission orders.

In her keynote address, Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, emphasized the Government’s commitment to ensuring speedy and hassle-free redressal of consumer grievances with minimal financial burden on consumers. She highlighted that the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) serves as an effective pre-litigation platform, particularly in cases where the claim amount is relatively small and consumers may otherwise hesitate to approach Consumer Commissions. She informed that over ₹52 crores have been refunded to consumers through NCH from 25.04.2025 to 31.01.2025 across 31 sectors, demonstrating its effectiveness in delivering timely and tangible relief to consumers.

The Secretary also underlined the importance of disposal of cases within the stipulated time frame and spoke about the implementation of the e-Jagriti platform for end-to-end digital case management across Consumer Commissions to enhance transparency, efficiency, and monitoring. She highlighted the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in grievance redressal for intelligent data analytics, early identification of systemic issues, and detection of unfair trade practices such as dark patterns in e-commerce. Drawing attention to challenges in the execution of orders of Consumer Commissions, she reiterated that strengthening pre-litigation mechanisms through NCH, supported by e-Jagriti and AI-driven insights, will significantly reduce pendency and ensure faster, technology-enabled and consumer-friendly justice delivery.

In his keynote address, Shri Justice A. P. Sahi, President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission highlighted the evolving landscape of consumer protection in India, stressing the importance of timely and efficient redressal mechanisms under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. He emphasized the need for continuous capacity building, technological integration such as e-filing and virtual hearings, and strengthened collaboration between national, state, and district commissions to address emerging challenges like digital consumer issues and market changes. Justice Sahi underscored that accessible justice for consumers is fundamental, urging regular performance reviews, filling of vacancies, and the responsible use of AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for judicial discretion, ultimately aiming to empower consumers and ensure swift resolution of grievances.

The workshop features six thematic technical sessions spread over two days addressing critical operational and emerging areas of consumer protection:

• Technical Session I: E-Jagriti, e-Filing, e-Hearing and the use of Artificial Intelligence
• Technical Session II: Procedure for admission of complaint
• Technical Session III: Digital and E-Commerce Challenges: Dark Patterns in Online Platforms
• Technical Session IV: Speedy and Effective Disposal of Execution Applications
• Technical Session V: Chintan on Necessary Amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
• Technical Session VI: Scope of Procedural Uniformity in Consumer Commissions for Disposal of Cases

A parallel session is also held on Legal Metrology including E-Maap, Jan Vishwas Bill and Deregulation.

The workshop is attended by Hon’ble Members of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Presidents, Members & Registrars of State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions and various District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions of participating states, senior officers of participating State Governments, representatives from NIC, officers of the Department of Consumer Affairs and Voluntary Consumer Organisations, along with distinguished delegates from the participating States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Jharkhand, who actively participated in the deliberations and shared best practices for strengthening consumer protection mechanisms.

The Two-Day Conference is graced by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sudip Ahulwalia, Member, NCDRC, Hon’ble AVM J. Rajendra, AVSM VSM (Retd.), Member, NCDRC, Shri B.K. Goswami, President, Jharkhand State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Hon’ble Justice Smt. Sunita Yadav, President, Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Smt. Varsha Bale, President In-charge, Goa State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Shri Dilip Mohapatra, President In-charge, Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has been consistently pursuing targeted initiatives to monitor consumer case outcomes and enhance institutional effectiveness nationwide. Since, June 2022, the Department has convened a series of regional workshops and State-specific consultations across the country to systematically review pendency, disseminate best practices, and develop actionable strategies for expediting and strengthening consumer grievance redressal mechanisms.

The Department of Consumer Affairs reiterated its continued support to States in building an efficient, accessible and technology-driven consumer justice system for effective protection of consumer rights across the country.

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RT/ARC