Lok Sabha Question No. 597 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: Consumer Protection Bill, 2015
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: BHARATENDRA SINGH, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, MAUSAM NOOR

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 597 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2017

## CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL, 2015

597.  KUNWAR BHARATENDRA: SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI: SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR:

## Will the Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of an increase in the number of advertisements of various products by celebrities in electronic and print media, often citing false claims and misleading consumers, if so, whether the Government is considering to regulate the same by enforcing necessary legislations and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  plans  to  make  stringent  provisions  in  the  current consumer  protection  laws  to  tackle  misleading  advertisement,  as  well  as  to  fix liability  on  endorsers/celebrities,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  indicating  the  major initiatives  envisaged  in  the  Consumer  Protection  Bill,  2015  which  will  enhance consumer protection for the general public;
- (c) whether  the  Government  included  the  word  'Endorsement'  in  the  body  of  the Consumer Protection Bill, 2015 as recommended by the Standing Committee, if so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  suggestions  and  comments  of  the  standing committee incorporated in the amended version of the Bill and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government also clarified the definitions relating to misleading false and objectionable advertisements under the provision 2 (41) (f) of the above said bill and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government also intends to give some legal teeth to advertising code which is being followed by the Advertising Standards Council of India to compel the misleading advertisers to issue corrective advertise; and
- (f) whether the Government intends to bring some punitive measures to be incorporated in the advertising code to cater to consumer interests, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b) : With  a  view  to  carry  out  comprehensive  amendments  to  the  existing Consumer Protection Act, 1986, the Government has already introduced the Consumer Protection Bill, 2015 in Parliament.  The Bill seeks to provide for establishment of an executive agency to be known as the Central Consumer Protection Authority, which will, inter alia,   deal with the problem of misleading advertisements.   Other salient features of the  Bill  which  would  enhance  consumer  protection  are    provision  for  alternate  dispute redress through mediation,   provision for  product liability to deter manufacturers and service providers from causing harm, simplification of the dispute adjudication  process by the Consumer Fora which include deemed admissibility of complaints after 21 days of filing,  empowerment  of  Consumer  Commissions  to  enforce  their    orders,  ease  of approaching Consumer Commissions by way of filing complaints from place of residence and e-filing of complaints and videoconferencing for hearing.

(c)  to  (f)  :    In  the  context  of  the  Consumer  Protection  Bill,  2015,  the  Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution has made certain recommendations including incorporating the word 'Endorsement' in the body of the Bill, to  clarify  the  definitions  relating  to  misleading,  false  and  objectionable  advertisements, and giving some legal teeth to advertising code of the Advertising Standards Council of India.    The  recommendations  of  the  Parliamentary  Standing  Committee  have  been examined and further action in this regard is under consideration.

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