CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

INTRODUCTION
The Consumer Protection Act was enacted in 1986. Amendments were made in 2 2. The Act a!!"ies to the who"e o# India e$ce!t the %tate o# &ammu and 'ashmir. An Act to !ro(ide #or the )etter !rotection o# the interest o# the consumers. *sta)"ishment o# Consumer Counci"s and other authorities #or the sett"ement o# consumers+ dis!utes.

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o# !rotection to "i#e and !ro!ert0 to )e in#ormed to choose to )e heard to redress to education

D*1INITION%
Consumer he is a !erson i2 3who )u0s an0 /oods #or a consideration which has )een !aid or !romised4or !art"0 !aid and !art"0 !romised4 or under a s0stem o# de#erred !a0ment. ii2 hires an0 ser(ices #or a consideration which has )een !aid or !romised4or !art"0 !aid and !art"0 !romised4 or under a s0stem o# de#erred !a0ment.

5ho are not consumers6

1. 2. 7. 8. 9. 6. ;. 8.

A !erson who !urchased /oods #or resa"e A !erson who !urchased /oods #or commercia" !ur!ose A !erson who o)tains ser(ices without consideration A !erson who o)tains ser(ices under a contract o# !ersona" ser(ice Ta$:!a0ers to munici!a"it0 Contractors A!!"icants #or <o)s Persons who #i"ed suits in courts

Consumer Dis!utes = sec 2>12e 3a dis!ute where the !erson a/ainst whom a com!"aint has )een made denies or dis!utes the a""e/ations contained in the com!"aint?. De#ect 3an0 #au"t4 im!er#ections or shortcomin/ in the @ua"it04 @uantit04 !otenc04 !urit0 or standard which is re@uired to )e maintained )0 or under an0 "aw #or the time )ein/ in #orce or has )een undertaAen to )e !er#ormed )0 a !erson in !ursuance o# a contract or otherwise in re"ation to an0 ser(ice?.

De#icienc0 = 2>12 /

3means an0 #au"t4 im!er#ection4 shortcomin/ or inade@uac0 in the @ua"it04 nature and manner o# !er#ormance which is re@uired to )e maintained )0 or under an0 "aw #or the time )ein/ in #orce or has )een undertaAen to )e !er#ormed )0 a !erson in !ursuance o# a contract or otherwise in re"ation to an0 ser(ice?. %er(ice = %ec 2 >o2 ser(ice o# an0 descri!tion which is made a(ai"a)"e to !otentia" users and inc"udes the !ro(isions o# #aci"ities in connection with )anAin/4 #inancin/4 insurance4 trans!ort4 !rocessin/4 su!!"0 o# e"ectrica" or other ener/04 )oardin/ or "od/in/ o# /ood4 house construction4 entertainment4 amusement or other in#ormation.

Com!"aint BCom!"aint+ means an0 a""e/ation in writin/ made )0 a com!"ainant that: i2 an un#air trade !ractice or a restricti(e trade !ractice ado!ted )0 an0 trade or ser(ice !ro(ider ii2 the /oods )ou/ht )0 him or a/reed to )e )ou/ht )0 him su##ers #rom one more de#ect iii2 the ser(ices hired or a(ai"ed o# or a/reed to )e hired or a(ai"ed o# su##er #rom de#icienc0 in an0 res!ect i(2 a trader or the ser(ice !ro(ider4 as the case ma0 )e4 has char/ed #or the /oods or #or the ser(ices mentioned in the com!"aint4 a !rice in e$cess o# the !rice: a2 #i$ed )0 or under an0 "aw #or the time )ein/ in #orce )2 dis!"a0ed on the /oods or an0 !acAa/e containin/ such /oods c2 a/reed )etween the !arties

CON%UC*R DI%PUT*% R*DR*%%AD 1ORUC%

The aims and o)<ecti(es o# the Act are achie(ed )0 the constitution and creation o#

District 1orum %tate Commission and Nationa" Consumer Dis!utes Redressa" Commission.

A DI%TRICT 1ORUC %EADD EA-* TE* PO5*R%

1.

to remo(e the de#ect !ointed out )0 the a!!ro!riate "a)orator0 #rom the /oods in @uestion to re!"ace the /oods with new /oods o# simi"ar descri!tion which sha"" )e #ree #rom an0 de#ect to return to the com!"ainant the !rice4 or as the case ma0 )e4 the char/es !aid )0 the com!"ainant to !a0 such amount as ma0 )e awarded )0 it as com!ensation to the consumer #or an0 "oss or in<ur0 su##ered )0 the consumer due to the ne/"i/ence o# the o!!osite !art0

2.

7.

8.

DI%TRICT 1ORUC

*ach District 1orum sha"" consist o# a !erson who is or has )een or is @ua"i#ied to )e a District &ud/e who sha"" )e its President two other mem)ers4 one o# whom sha"" )e a woman !ossessin/ a )ache"or+s de/ree #rom a reco/niFed uni(ersit04 )e a !erson o# a)i"it04 inte/rit0 and standin/ and ha(e ade@uate Anow"ed/e and e$!erience *(er0 mem)er o# the District 1orum sha"" ho"d o##ice #or a term o# 9 0ears or u! to the a/e o# 69 0ears which e(er is ear"ier. %u)<ect to the other !ro(isions o# the Act a District #orum sha"" ha(e <urisdiction to entertain com!"aints where the (a"ue o# the /oods or ser(ices and the com!ensation4 i# an04 c"aimed does not e$ceed Rs.2 DaAhs.

%TAT* COCCI%%ION
*ach %tate Commission sha"" ha(e <urisdiction to entertain com!"aints where the (a"ue o# the /oods or ser(ices and com!ensation4 i# an04 c"aimed e$ceeds Rs. 2 DaAhs )ut does not e$ceed Rs.1 Crore and a!!ea"s a/ainst the orders o# an0 District 1orum within the %tate.

NATIONAD COCCI%%ION

The B Nationa" Commission+ sha"" consist o# a !erson who is or has )een a &ud/e o# the %u!reme Court4 sha"" )e its President. Not "ess than 8 and not more than such num)er o# mem)ers as ma0 )e !rescri)ed and one o# whom sha"" )e a woman with simi"ar @ua"i#ications as re@uired in the case o# a!!ointment as a mem)er to a District 1orum or a %tate Commission. *(er0 mem)er o# the Nationa" commission sha"" ho"d o##ice #or a term o# 9 0ears or u! to the a/e o# ; 0ears which e(er is ear"ier. The Nationa" Commission sha"" ha(e <urisdiction to entertain com!"aints where the (a"ue o# the /oods or ser(ices and com!ensation4 i# an04 the c"aim e$ceeds Rs. 1 Crore and a!!ea"s a/ainst the orders o# an0 %tate Commission.

Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums

The District Forum, State Commission or the National Commission shall not admit a complaint unless it is filed within 2 years from the date on which the cause of action has arisen. Where a trader or a person against whom a complaint is made fails or omits to comply with any order made y the District Forum, the State Commission, the National Commission, as the case may e, such trader or person shall e punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not e less than ! month ut which may e"tend to # years, or with fine which shall e not less than 2,$$$%& 's. ut which may e"tend to !$,$$$%&'s., or with oth.

A com!"aint ma0 )e #i"ed )0

1. 2.

7. 8.

The consumer to whom such /oods are so"d An0 reco/niFed consumer association4 where the consumer to whom /oods are so"d or de"i(ered is a mem)er One or more consumers4 where there are numerous consumers ha(in/ same interest The Centra" and %tate Go(ernment

PROC*DUR* O1 COCPDAINT
Com!"aint re"atin/ to /oods
1. 2. 7. 8. 9.

Re#erence o# sam!"e to "a)orator0 De!osit o# #ees Remission o# #ees to "a) and #orwardin/ o# re!ort to o!!osite !art0 O)<ections Reasona)"e o!!ortunit0 to !arties

Com!"aint re"atin/ to ser(ices

1. 2. 7. 8. 9. 6.

Re#erence o# c"aim to o!!osite !art0 Denia" o# a""e/ations )0 the o!!osite !art0 %ett"ement o# dis!ute Proceedin/s o# district #orum #ina" Death o# com!"ainant !eriod

1INDING% AND -*RDICT%

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To remo(e the de#ect To re!"ace the /oods with new /oods o# simi"ar descri!tion. To return the com!"ainant the !rice To !a0 com!ensation to the consumer #or an0 "oss or in<ur0 su##ered To remo(e the de#ects in the /oods To discontinue the un#air trade !ractices Not to o##er haFardous /oods #or sa"e To !ro(ide ade@uate costs to !arties

APP*AD%
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A!!ea" to the %tate commission

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an0 !erson a//rie(ed )0 an order made )0 the district #orum ma0 !re#er an a!!ea" a/ainst such order to the %tate commission within a !eriod o# 7 da0s an0 !erson a//rie(ed )0 an order made )0 the %tate commission in e$ercise o# its !owers ma0 !re#er an a!!ea" a/ainst such order to the Nationa" commission within a !eriod o# 7 da0s

A!!ea" to the Nationa" commission

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E*ARING O1 APP*AD %*C 19>A2

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No ad<ournment sha"" )e ordinari"0 /ranted )0 the state commission or the Nationa" comission as the case ma0 )0 un"ess su##icient cause is shown and the reasons #or /rant o# ad<ournment ha(e )een recorded. The %tate commission and the Nationa" commission ads the case ma0 )e sha"" maAe such orders as to the costs occasioned )0 the ad<ournment.

CI%C*DDAN*OU%
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Protection o# action taAen in /ood #aith Power to remo(e di##icu"ties Power to maAe ru"es Da0in/ o# ru"es