Consumer Act amendments to facilitate online filing of complaints

Government proposes to improve the consumer grievance redressel mechanism through facilitating online filing of complaints and through effective means of enforcement of orders as also stricter penalties for non-compliance of orders.

The amendments proposed to the Consumer Protection Act also aims at empowering consumer fora at the district, state and national levels and through better monitoring of pending cases, according to a finance ministry release.

The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2011, introduced in the Lok Sabha on 16 December 2011, aims at facilitating quicker disposal of cases while widening and amplifying the scope of some of the provisions of the existing Consumer Protection Act.

Following the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, consumer disputes redressel agencies have been set up in 629 districts across 35 states and at the national level to render simple, inexpensive and speedy justice to consumers in respect of complaints against defective goods, deficient services and unfair / restrictive trade practices, it said.

While consumer protection agency and its arms have been providing services to the consumer in redressing grievances, there was a felt need for faster redresser of complaints and to rationalise procedure of appointments in consumer disputes redressel agencies. The amendments to the Act aims at this.

Consumer forums are being computerised across the country in order to make it possible for consumers to file complaints as well as pay fee online, which would also facilitate a move towards e-governance and time-bound redressel.