Lok Sabha Question No. 443 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Consumer Protection Act
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Government of India Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.443

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

## CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

## 443. DR. KADIYAM KAVYA:

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

- (a) whether consumer courts in the country are strictly following the Consumer Protection Act which stipulates three months (90 days) for resolution of complaints by the Consumer Commissions; and
- (b) if so, the details of pending cases along with average adjournment period (in days) in Telangana for the last three years, year-wise and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh ch- ,y- oekZ½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

(a) :  Department of Consumer Affairs is continuously working for consumer protection and empowerment of consumers by enactment of progressive legislations. With a view to modernize the framework governing the consumer protection in the new era of globalization, technologies, e-commerce markets etc Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was repealed and Consumer Protection Act 2019 was enacted.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for a three tier quasi-judicial machinery at District, State  and  Central  levels  commonly  known  as  'Consumer  Commissions'  for  protection  of  the  rights  of consumers and to provide simple and speedy redressal of consumer disputes.

Further, in terms of Section 38 (7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, every complaint shall be disposed  of  as  expeditiously  as  possible  and  endeavour  shall  be  made  to  decide  the  complaint  within  a period of three months from the date of receipt of notice by opposite party where the complaint does not require  analysis  or  testing  of  commodities  and  within  five  months  if  it  requires  analysis  or  testing  of commodities.

To serve the interest of speedy justice to the end consumers, Consumer Protection Act states that no adjournment shall ordinarily be granted by the consumer commissions unless sufficient cause is shown and the reasons for grant of adjournment have been recorded in writing by the Commission.

- (b)  :  As  on  22.11.2024,  the  total  number  of  consumer  cases  pending  in  the  consumer  commissions  of Telangana are 8,021.

The  details  of  cases  filed  and  disposed  off  during  last  three  years  in  Telangana  are  as follows:

| Year                   | Cases filed during the year   | Cases disposed during the year (also includes the cases disposed which were filed in the previous years)   |
|------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2022                   | 4,416                         | 5,395                                                                                                      |
| 2023                   | 4,001                         | 4,581                                                                                                      |
| 2024 (upto 22.11.2024) | 3,540                         | 3,644                                                                                                      |
| TOTAL                  | 11,957                        | 13,620                                                                                                     |

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