Consumer Protection
Domain 12 - Consumer Protection - tests the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the meaning of consumer, rights and responsibilities, and the three-tier redressal machinery.
Who is a consumer
A consumer buys goods or hires services for consideration, and includes any user with the buyer's approval, but excludes a person who buys for resale or a commercial purpose. Online and e-commerce purchases are covered.
Rights
Right to safety; right to be informed; right to choose; right to be heard; right to seek redressal; right to consumer education.
Responsibilities
Ask for a cash memo; read labels; check standardisation marks (ISI, Agmark, Hallmark, FPO); avoid unauthorised dealers; file genuine complaints.
Redressal machinery
Three-tier, by pecuniary jurisdiction:
- District Commission - value up to ₹1 crore.
- State Commission - above ₹1 crore up to ₹10 crore; hears appeals from the District Commission within 45 days.
- National Commission - above ₹10 crore; appeals within 30 days.
A complaint must be filed within two years of the cause of action. Reliefs include repair, replacement, refund, compensation and stopping unfair trade practices. The Act also set up the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and introduced product liability and curbs on misleading advertisements.
Worked example
A consumer pays ₹1.4 crore for a flat and gets delayed possession. Because the consideration exceeds ₹1 crore but is below ₹10 crore, the complaint lies before the State Commission, not the District Commission. Reasoning: jurisdiction depends on the pecuniary value of consideration paid, not on the loss claimed, and the two-year limitation runs from the date the deficiency occurred.
Traps
The wrong slab (₹1 crore / ₹10 crore) is the biggest mark-loser; do not swap the 45-day appeal window with the 30-day one.