SC Flags Low Case Pendency In Consumer Forums, Suggests Alternative Mechanisms For Smaller States & Uts

(MENAFN- KNN India) ** New Delhi, Mar 5 (KNN)** The Supreme Court has raised concerns that district and state consumer forums in several smaller states and Union Territories are increasingly becoming sinecures for retired district and High Court judges due to very low case pendency.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that earlier sweeping directions by the apex court to strengthen consumer forums may not have fully considered the ground realities of low caseloads in certain regions, TOI reported.

** Low Case Pendency in Several States**

A district consumer forum is headed by a retired district judge, while a state consumer disputes redressal commission (SCDRC) is led by a retired High Court judge. However, several northeastern states and Union Territories have reported minimal workloads.

Arunachal Pradesh informed the bench that only 59 consumer cases are pending across its district and state forums and that no retired judge has shown interest in the advertised post of state forum president.

Other regions also reported limited pendency: Sikkim has 64 cases, Mizoram 94 cases, Manipur 166 cases, Lakshadweep 10 cases, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 41 cases, and Goa 39 cases.

** Court Suggests Alternative Mechanism**

The bench acknowledged that establishing separate district and state consumer forums in states with very low pendency places an unnecessary financial burden on the exchequer and effectively becomes a sinecure for retired judicial officers and High Court judges.

Noting that presidents of district consumer forums are given status equivalent to district judges despite far lighter workloads, the court sought detailed data from all states on case pendency.

The bench decided to address state commissions in seven states and Union Territories with low caseloads and transferred pending matters to the respective High Courts, while seeking data from all states on pendency before district forums.

It directed the Chief Justice of each High Court to assign a judge to hear consumer cases as president of the forum along with members of the state commission. Appeals against these orders can be filed before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The bench noted that states and Union Territories with fewer than 1,000 pending consumer cases to propose alternative mechanisms for handling consumer complaints, including appointing part-time members to district consumer forums.

** (KNN Bureau)**

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