Right to Seek Redressal

Prof.(Dr.) Ashok R. PatilProfessor of Law

Chair on Consumer Law and Practice

[Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India]

National Law School of India University, Bangalore

“The customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption on our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider on our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so”  

- Mahatma Gandhi        

Devices of Consumer Protection

a. Voluntary Consumer Associations

b. Business Self-regulations: Ethical Standards towards consumer

c. Consumer Legislations

d. State Govts. and Central Govt.

Important Events

• On 15th March 1962, President John F. Kennedy introduced Consumer Rights in Congress.

• United Nations Guidelines on Consumer Protection: 09-04-1985.

• On 24th December 1987 Indian President signed on Consumer Protection Act, 1986

Caveat Emptor to Caveat Venditor

•Consumer Rights are Human Rights

•Constitution of India PreambleArticle 14Article 19(1)(g) and 19(6)Article 21Article 38Article 47A

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (copra)

•Consumer Protection Rules, 1987

•Consumer Protection Regulations, 2005

•Amendment to COPRA: 1991, 1993, 2002 and Bill 2011

•Merits of COPRA

•Sec.3: Special Law Vs. General Law

Alternative dispute redressal

• Internal Redressal Mechanism

• Lok Adalats

• Regulatory Authorities

• Ombudsman

• Self Regulations

• National Consumer Helpline (NCH)

• Free Legal Services of Law Schools/Colleges- Recognition

Statistics of filed cases, disposed cases, pending cases and % of total disposed cases under COPRA as on 18th Sept 2012

Sl. No Name of Agency

Cases filed Since

inception

Cases Disposed off since inception

Cases Pending

% of total Disposal

1 National Commission 76909 66560 10349 86.54%

2 State Commissions 581102 485156 95946 83.49%

3 District Forums 3169197 2925782 243415 92.32%

TOTAL 3827208 3477498 349710 90.86%

THANK YOU