Consumer Protection Act

(COPRA)

Introduction
It was introduced in the year 1986 to
protect the interests of consumers and
to check their exploitation from
producers and sellers.
This Act has come into force from 1-7-1987
in all parts of the country except in the
state of J&K.
J&K has introduced its own Act for
Consumer Protection.
COPRA 1986 was amended in 1993

COPRA involves the following:

To protect the basic rights of consumers
Consumer awareness
To protect the interest of consumers
To provide clean environment to the
consumers.

General Rights of Consumers

Right to selection of the service and product

Right to get consumer education
Right to get information about the product and
service either price, quality, identification,
trademark, weight, technique of use or discount
or condition.
Right to clean environment.
Right to safety against danger contents of the
products.
Right to hearing complaint in any consumer
forum

Objectives of the COPRA

Protecting to the consumers against
immoral and unfair activities of the traders.
Compensating to the consumers.
To set-up consumer forum and consumer
commission/ council for the disposal of
consumer disputes.
To educate the consumers for their rights
controlling the marketing.

Scope of the Act

The act applies to the whole of India except
J&K
The act covers all the rights which make for
the consumers.
The act applies on goods and services.

Redressal of Consumer Disputes

There are 3 tier quasi judicial machinery for
the redressal of consumer disputes.
District Forum
State Commission
National Commission

Machinery under the Act

Central Consumer Protection Council

to be established by Central Government

State Consumer Protection Council

to be established by State Government

District Consumer Protection Council

to be established by State Government for every
district

Central consumer protection

council
As per section 3 of this council it is composed
of 150 members:
i) the chairman shall be the minister in
charge of department
ii) vice chairman shall be the minister of state
iii) the minister of food and civil supplies
iv) 8 members of parliament -5 from the lok
sabha and three from the rajya sabha
v) the commissioner of scheduled castes and
tribes

Cont.
vi) representatives of the central
government departments
vii) representatives of the consumer
organisations
viii) representatives of women-not less
than 10
ix) representatives of farmers
x) secretary in the department of civil
supplies shall be the member-secretary
to the central council

The state consumer protection

council
As per section 7(2) of the act council shall
consist of:
a) the minister incharge of consumer
affairs
b) such number of other official or nonofficial members representing such interests
as may be prescibed the state government.
c) such number of other official or nonofficial members ,not exceeding 10.

The district consumer

protection council
As per section 8-A (2) of the act the
district consumer council shall consist
of following members:
a) the collector of the district who shall
be the chairman
b) such number of other official or nonofficial members representing such
interests as may be prescibed by the
state government.

Suggestions leading to better

consumer protection
There should be more and more
awareness on the part of consumers.
More and more NGOs ,civil society
organisations should come forward
The consumer should lodge a specific
complaint with supporting information
The consumer should try to understand
the view-point of the seller before
making a complaint.