NEW DELHI: The rate of disposal of consumer cases has slipped compared to the number of cases filed in 2024 and 2025, after consumer commissions decided more cases than the total number of complaints filed in the two preceding years. This is on account of vacancies for presidents and members in state and district commissions increasing significantly.
Data submitted by the consumer affairs department to the Rajya Sabha show that the number of complaints disposed of in 2022 was 1.83 lakh compared to 1.76 lakh cases filed; in 2023, 1.86 lakh complaints were decided, as against 1.74 lakh cases being filed. On the contrary, only 1.58 lakh cases were disposed of while 1.73 lakh complaints were filed in the 2024 calendar year. The trend is similar in the current year as consumer commissions have decided 64,297 cases compared to 76,318 complaints filed till July 22.
Last week, in a written response, the department had submitted to the upper House that 18 out of 36 State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions don’t have presidents and there are vacancies for 62 members in these commissions. In the case of District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions , 218 out of 685 commissions don’t have sitting presidents and there are 518 vacancies for members.
The data show that Uttar Pradesh has a maximum of 37 vacancies for presidents in district commissions, followed by Gujarat (31), Bihar (23) and 17 each in West Bengal and Odisha.
Sources said that if the trend of vacancies increasing in the past two years continues, the pendency of cases would only rise.
As per the Consumer Protection Act , every complaint needs to be disposed of expeditiously -- within three months from the date of receipt of notice where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if it requires any such analysis.
Data submitted by the consumer affairs department to the Rajya Sabha show that the number of complaints disposed of in 2022 was 1.83 lakh compared to 1.76 lakh cases filed; in 2023, 1.86 lakh complaints were decided, as against 1.74 lakh cases being filed. On the contrary, only 1.58 lakh cases were disposed of while 1.73 lakh complaints were filed in the 2024 calendar year. The trend is similar in the current year as consumer commissions have decided 64,297 cases compared to 76,318 complaints filed till July 22.
Last week, in a written response, the department had submitted to the upper House that 18 out of 36 State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions don’t have presidents and there are vacancies for 62 members in these commissions. In the case of District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions , 218 out of 685 commissions don’t have sitting presidents and there are 518 vacancies for members.
The data show that Uttar Pradesh has a maximum of 37 vacancies for presidents in district commissions, followed by Gujarat (31), Bihar (23) and 17 each in West Bengal and Odisha.
Sources said that if the trend of vacancies increasing in the past two years continues, the pendency of cases would only rise.
As per the Consumer Protection Act , every complaint needs to be disposed of expeditiously -- within three months from the date of receipt of notice where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if it requires any such analysis.
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