Supreme Court asks Centre, states to reform consumer courts

New Delhi: The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the working of consumer courts, including the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and said a systemic overhaul of the entire infrastructure is necessary if the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is not to become a dead letter.

A bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao in its order asked the Centre and states to intervene immediately to set right the system and fill up the vacancies of members in these courts. The Bench said with the proliferation of goods and services in a rapidly growing economy, Parliament envisaged the enactment to be the corner-stone of a vibrant consumer movement. Reality has been distant from the aspirations of the law. Since the state of affairs which has been revealed before the Court warrants systemic changes.

The court said the quality of presiding members, especially of non-judicial members at the state and district levels is poor. One of the reasons is that the remuneration which is being paid to non-judicial members of consumer fora varies from state to state and is too meagre to attract qualified talent. The Bench pointed out that most of the non-judicial members are not even capable of writing or dictating small orders. At certain places non-judicial members act in unison against the presiding officer, while passing orders contrary to law, damaging the reputation of the adjudicating body.