Consumer Rights Day

Consumer Rights Day
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Highlights

The National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on December 24. This year\'s theme is Safe & Healthy Food: Combating Food Adulteration. It was on this day that the Consumer Protection Act was enacted in 1986. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan says the country needs a revolution in consumer affairs and government is doing its best to protect the interest of the consumers.

The National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on December 24. This year's theme is Safe & Healthy Food: Combating Food Adulteration. It was on this day that the Consumer Protection Act was enacted in 1986.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan says the country needs a revolution in consumer affairs and government is doing its best to protect the interest of the consumers.

The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015, is likely to be taken up in the Budget Session of Parliament. It seeks to set up a regulatory authority having powers to recall products, cancel licences of defaulting companies and initiate class action suit. A class action is a type of lawsuit in which one or several persons can sue on behalf of a larger group of persons.

Under the existing law, Consumer Protection Act, 1986, affected consumers separately approach the authorities seeking redress of grievances. The new legislation would ensure prompt action against errant companies.

The first and the only Act of its kind in India, The provisions of this Act cover ‘goods’ as well as ‘services’. The goods are those which are manufactured or produced and sold to consumers through wholesalers and retailers. The services are in the nature of transport, telephone, electricity, housing, banking, insurance, medical treatment, etc.

By spelling out the rights and remedies of the consumers in a market so far dominated by organized manufacturers and traders of goods and providers of various types of services, the Act makes the dictum,caveat emptor (‘buyer beware’) a thing of the past. The Act mandates establishment of Consumer Protection Councils at the Centre as well as in each State and District.

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, also known as the ‘District Forum,’ deals with cases valuing up to Rs 2 million. State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission takes up cases valuing between Rs 2 million and Rs 10 million. National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission deals with amounts more than Rs 10 million.

In general, the consumer rights in India are as follows: The right to be protected from all kind of hazardous goods and services; the right to be fully informed about the performance and quality of all goods and services; the right to free choice of goods and services; the right to be heard in all decision-making processes related to consumer interests; the right to seek redressal, whenever consumer rights have been infringed; and the right to complete consumer education.

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