Lok Sabha Question No. 2347 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-04
Subject: Pending Consumer Cases
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: P. KARUNAKARAN, BAHADUR SINGH KOLI, RANJANBEN BHATT

**Government of India**

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

**Department of Consumer Affairs**

**LOK SABHA**

##### UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2347

##### TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2015

**PENDING CONSUMER CASES**

2347. 	SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN:

SHRI BAHADUR SINGH KOLI:

SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT:

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

(a) 	the number of consumer fora functioning in various States including Rajasthan, State-wise;

(b) 	the number of cases registered, disposed and pending in these fora during the last three years and the current year along with the reasons for pendency;

(c) 	the steps taken for speedy disposal of the cases;

(d)	whether the Government reviews the working of these consumer fora; and

(e)	 if so, the details and the outcome thereof?

**ANSWER**

**miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h**

**¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½**

**THE MINISTER OF**

**CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION**

**(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)**

(a) 	 :	Madam, the reply is given in **Annexure I** .

(b) 	 : 	The statement showing the number of cases registered, disposed and pending in these Fora during the last three years and the current year is given in **Annexure II.**

The pendency in Consumer Fora is due to various reasons such as increased number of cases caused by growing Consumers’ awareness, scope for multiple appeals and vacancy of incumbents in certain States/UTs.

(c)	 :	The steps taken for speedy disposal of the cases are as under:

1. The State Governments have been requested from time to time to take action well in advance for filling up of vacancies of President and Members and to maintain a panel of candidates for filling up of future vacancies also to avoid delay in appointments.

1. Circuit Benches from National Commission have been frequently visiting States.

1. Some State Commissions have constituted Additional Benches mainly to dispose off backlog of pending cases.

(4) 	The National Commission and some of the State Commissions as well as District Fora are adopting the process of holding LokAdalats for speedy disposal of the cases.

(5)	Financial assistance is provided by the Central Government to the States/UTs for strengthening of infrastructure of Consumer Fora including computerization and networking.

(d) & (e ) :	Yes, Madam, the Government reviews the working of these consumer fora through periodical returns. The Government had also instituted a study through Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi in 2012. The study revealed the following:

1. Involvement of lawyers in District Forum;

1. inadequate lab testing facility;
2. problem in execution of the orders of the District Forum;
3. because of  small compensation, consumers lose interest in  the case;
4. lack of capacity of the members to  adjudicate the case;
5. lack of infrastructure/man-power.

****

**ANNEXURE-I**

**STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2347 FOR 04.08.2015 REGARDING PENDING CONSUMER CASES.**

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **INFORMATION REGARDING FUNCTIONA/NON-FUNCTIONAL (STATE COMMISSIONS/DISTRICT FORUMS)**

| **Sl. No.**   | **States**        | **Whether SC Functional or Non-functional**   | **No. of District Fora**   | **Functional**   | **Non-functional**   | **As on**   |
|---------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------|------------------|----------------------|-------------|
| 1             | Andhra Pradesh    | Yes                                           | 17                         | 17               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 2             | A & N Islands     | Yes                                           | 1                          | 1                | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 3             | Arunachal Pradesh | Yes                                           | 16                         | 13               | 3                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 4             | Assam             | Yes                                           | 23                         | 21               | 2                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 5             | Bihar             | Yes                                           | 38                         | 33               | 5                    | 30.06.2014  |
| 6             | Chandigarh        | Yes                                           | 2                          | 2                | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 7             | Chattisgarh       | Yes                                           | 27                         | 18               | 9                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 8             | Daman & Diu       | Yes                                           | 2                          | 2                | 0                    | 31.03.2011  |
| 9             | Delhi             | Yes                                           | 10                         | 10               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 10            | Goa               | Yes                                           | 2                          | 2                | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 11            | Gujrat            | Yes                                           | 30                         | 30               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 12            | Haryana           | Yes                                           | 21                         | 21               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 13            | Himachal Pradesh  | Yes                                           | 12                         | 12               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 14            | Jammu & Kashmir   | Yes                                           | 2                          | 2                | 0                    | 30.06.2014  |
| 15            | Jharkhand         | Yes                                           | 22                         | 22               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 16            | Karnataka         | Yes                                           | 31                         | 31               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 17            | Kerala            | Yes                                           | 14                         | 14               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 18            | Lakshadweep       | Yes                                           | 1                          | 1                | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 19            | Madhya Pradesh    | Yes                                           | 48                         | 48               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 20            | Maharashtra       | Yes                                           | 40                         | 40               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 21            | Manipur           | Yes                                           | 9                          | 9                | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 22            | Meghalaya         | Yes                                           | 11                         | 7                | 4                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 23            | Mizoram           | Yes                                           | 8                          | 8                | 0                    | 31.12.2014  |
| 24            | Nagaland          | Yes                                           | 11                         | 8                | 3                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 25            | Orissa            | Yes                                           | 31                         | 31               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 26            | Pondicherry       | Yes                                           | 1                          | 1                | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 27            | Punjab            | Yes                                           | 20                         | 20               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 28            | Rajasthan         | Yes                                           | 37                         | 37               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 29            | Sikkim            | Yes                                           | 4                          | 4                | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 30            | Tamil Nadu        | Yes                                           | 30                         | 26               | 4                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 31            | Telangana         | Yes                                           | 12                         | 12               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 32            | Tripura           | Yes                                           | 4                          | 4                | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 33            | Uttar Pradesh     | Yes                                           | 79                         | 79               | 0                    | 30.06.2015  |
| 34            | Uttaranchal       | Yes                                           | 13                         | 12               | 1                    | 31.03.2015  |
| 35            | West Bengal       | Yes                                           | 21                         | 21               | 0                    | 31.03.2015  |
|               | **TOTAL**         |                                               | **650**                    | **619**          | **31**               |             |

*****

**ANNEXURE-II**

**STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2347 FOR 04.08.2015 REGARDING PENDING CONSUMER CASES.**

YEAR-WISE FILING & DISPOSAL INNATIOANAL COMMISSION & STATE COMMISSIONS

**(Upto 31.12.2014)**

|                         | **2012**   |              | **2013**   |              | **2014**   |              |
|-------------------------|------------|--------------|------------|--------------|------------|--------------|
|                         | **Filed**  | **Disposed** | **Filed**  | **Disposed** | **Filed**  | **Disposed** |
| **National Commission** | 5116       | 4452         | 7223       | 6602         | 5360       | 4768         |
|                         |            |              |            |              |            |              |
| **States**              | **2012**   |              | **2013**   |              | **2014**   |              |
|                         | **Filed**  | **Disposed** | **Filed**  | **Disposed** | **Filed**  | **Disposed** |
| Andhra Pradesh          | 1138       | 1039         | 1586       | 1467         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| A & N Islands           | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Arunachal Pradesh       | 2          | 5            | 4          | 5            | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Assam                   | 68         | 354          | 63         | 419          | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Bihar                   | 652        | 311          | 597        | 325          | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Chandigarh              | 576        | 598          | 825        | 874          | 719        | 754          |
| Chattisgarh             | 878        | 717          | 695        | 491          | 842        | 909          |
| D & N Haveli/Daman &Diu | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Delhi                   | 1744       | 1898         | 2173       | 1292         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Goa                     | 79         | 139          | 146        | 176          | 142        | 138          |
| Gujrat                  | 5589       | 3417         | 3365       | 6375         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Haryana                 | 1476       | 5983         | 1073       | 905          | 1389       | 841          |
| Himachal Pradesh        | 1452       | 2021         | 1584       | 1673         | 1945       | 1700         |
| Jammu & Kashmir         | 327        | 411          | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Jharkhand               | 190        | 453          | 170        | 173          | 84         | 86           |
| Karnataka               | 2446       | 2252         | 2054       | 3008         | 2087       | 1523         |
| Kerala                  | 1036       | 921          | 1198       | 731          | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Lakshadweep             | 0          | 0            | 1          | 0            | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Madhya Pradesh          | 2557       | 2241         | 2759       | 1793         | 2653       | 1069         |
| Maharashtra             | 2596       | 1135         | 3693       | 6043         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Manipur                 | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Meghalaya               | 262        | 175          | 275        | 266          | 298        | 285          |
| Mizoram                 | 16         | 25           | 8          | 5            | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Nagaland                | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Orissa                  | 1026       | 844          | 477        | 369          | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Pondicherry             | 41         | 36           | 14         | 8            | 8          | 8            |
| Punjab                  | 1912       | 2387         | 1636       | 3528         | 1514       | 2090         |
| Rajasthan               | 2963       | 2247         | 2601       | 2312         | 2376       | 1534         |
| Sikkim                  | 2          | 1            | N.A.       | N.A.         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Tamilnadu               | 957        | 770          | 914        | 683          | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Tripura                 | 66         | 82           | 132        | 37           | 71         | 130          |
| Uttar Pradesh           | 3698       | 3117         | 3572       | 4201         | N.A.       | N.A.         |
| Uttarakhand             | 216        | 232          | 379        | 234          | 339        | 226          |
| West Bengal             | 1827       | 1170         | 2520       | 1572         | 2197       | 1369         |
| **TOTAL**               | **35792**  | **34981**    | **34514**  | **38965**    | **16664**  | **12662**    |

*****

**YEAR-WISE FILING & DISPOSAL INDISTRICT FORUMS**

**(Upto 31.12.2014)**

| **States**              | **2012**   |            | **2013**   |            | **2014**   |           |
|-------------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|
|                         | Filed      | Disposed   | Filed      | Disposed   | Filed      | Disposed  |
| Andhra Pradesh          | 4308       | 2688       | 3739       | 1149       | 1052       | 27        |
| A & N Islands           | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Arunachal Pradesh       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Assam                   | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Bihar                   | 3852       | 2608       | 3730       | 2239       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Chandigarh              | 3485       | 3537       | 2157       | 2165       | 1576       | 1587      |
| Chattisgarh             | 2384       | 2382       | 1801       | 1785       | 2270       | 1954      |
| D & N Haveli/Daman &Diu | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Delhi                   | 9217       | 8017       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Goa                     | 173        | 220        | 208        | 294        | 214        | 276       |
| Gujrat                  | 7843       | 12010      | 8909       | 10003      | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Haryana                 | 8899       | 9038       | 7714       | 10740      | 6881       | 8696      |
| Himachal Pradesh        | 2060       | 2104       | 2024       | 2313       | 1860       | 1981      |
| Jammu & Kashmir         | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Jharkhand               | 1565       | 1037       | 1527       | 953        | 515        | 481       |
| Karnataka               | 7917       | 7344       | 7703       | 6427       | 11113      | 6167      |
| Kerala                  | 6182       | 5728       | 6142       | 4770       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Lakshadweep             | 3          | 0          | 2          | 0          | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Madhya Pradesh          | 11106      | 11265      | 10430      | 11323      | 10330      | 8613      |
| Maharashtra             | 10573      | 4047       | 9649       | 7795       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Manipur                 | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Meghalaya               | 857        | 761        | 931        | 842        | 995        | 911       |
| Mizoram                 | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Nagaland                | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Orissa                  | 4162       | 2980       | 3240       | 2607       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Pondicherry             | 50         | 48         | 56         | 18         | 47         | 44        |
| Punjab                  | 8645       | 8714       | 8417       | 10198      | 5831       | 6230      |
| Rajasthan               | 24016      | 21301      | 22140      | 20879      | 14947      | 14947     |
| Sikkim                  | 13         | 18         | 0          | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Tamilnadu               | 3204       | 2267       | 3316       | 2498       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Tripura                 | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Uttar Pradesh           | 23854      | 26708      | 26073      | 26060      | N.A.       | N.A.      |
| Uttarakhand             | 1224       | 803        | 1430       | 1316       | 1421       | 1112      |
| West Bengal             | 4386       | 4466       | 5896       | 5116       | 4994       | 4393      |
| **TOTAL**               | **149978** | **140091** | **137234** | **131490** | **64046**  | **57419** |

*****