Consumer Protection
This domain tests the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 - who a consumer is, the six rights, the three-tier redressal machinery, the pecuniary limits and the consumer's responsibilities.
Who is a consumer
A person who buys goods or hires services for consideration, for personal use, excluding commercial purpose, though purchases for self-employment and livelihood are covered. Online buyers and beneficiaries of the buyer are included.
Consumer rights
Right to safety, right to be informed, right to choose, right to be heard, right to seek redressal, right to consumer education.
Redressal machinery under the 2019 Act
- District Commission: value of consideration up to ₹1 crore.
- State Commission: above ₹1 crore up to ₹10 crore.
- National Commission: above ₹10 crore. A complaint must be filed within two years of the cause of action. The Act also established the Central Consumer Protection Authority, which regulates misleading advertisements and enforces product liability.
Consumer responsibilities
Ask for a bill, check quality marks such as ISI, FSSAI and Hallmark, read labels, avoid buying from unauthorised sellers, and complain when a product fails.
Worked example
A refrigerator costing ₹80,000 fails within the warranty period and the seller refuses to help. Reasoning: jurisdiction is fixed by the consideration paid, not by the loss claimed, so ₹80,000 falls within the District Commission's ₹1 crore limit. The remedy may be replacement or refund plus compensation, and the complaint must be within two years.
Traps that cost marks
Quoting the old 1986 Act limits; forgetting the two-year limitation; claiming protection for a purchase made purely for resale or commercial purpose.