Mysuru: Consumer Redressal Forums or Consumer Courts in common language are functioning like Civil Courts by prolonging the cases. As such, aggrieved consumers have to wait for years for justice. This was the common opinion of participants at the monthly meeting of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP). 

The meeting was held at MGP office at Yadavagiri on Sunday where participants felt that Consumer Courts that were established for speedy disposal of consumer grievances are delaying the hearing of cases and judgement delivery due to various reasons.

Expectation of justice here becomes a mirage and this fact actually strengthens the hands of capitalist consumer companies who cheat customers rather than helping the ordinary consumer for whose sake the Courts were established, the meeting felt. 

MGP member Bhamy Shenoy gave an example of an MGP member being cheated by a builder and where the Consumer Court gave at least 32 hearing dates and followed delaying tactics due to various reasons. Still the aggrieved consumer did not relent and ultimately got a relief of Rs.28 lakh along with interest from the Court, he revealed. 

Giving instances of various other cases, he said that there were many people who are awaiting redressal of complaints at the Consumer Courts all over the State. 

Non-functional for many months due to lack of quorum, the Consumer Forums, conceived in 1986 as a solace for the common man, has become a paper tiger in many districts. 

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, mandates that all cases be settled in 90-150 days, the meeting observed.

Each District Forum should have three members — a President and two members. The President and at least one member constitute the quorum. Most District Forums do not have even those numbers.

Though the NCDRC (National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) says that procedures for new appointment should be launched six months before a member is scheduled to retire, it is not followed. 

The Consumer Courts were conceived as an alternative to the Civil Courts for providing speedy justice to consumers. “Unfortunately, the Consumer Courts have become like Civil Courts where cases are dragged on for years together,” participants regretted.

Consumer Redressal Forums is a three-tier system with National and State-level Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions and District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forums. The main attraction of the Consumer Court is the lower fee compared to Civil Courts. 

Efforts must be made to restore the faith of the consumer in the system of Consumer Courts. If not, the Consumer Courts too will lose its relevance and people will stop going there. This, in turn, will be a victory for multinational conglomerates that openly flout norms and take consumers for a ride, the participants felt. Even consumers must be aware of their rights and privileges, they felt.

MGP President Dr. B.V. Shiva Murthy, Working President C.R. Aswatha Narayana, Secretary K.S. Shiva Shankar, Treasurer K.V. Ramanath, Members Maj. Gen. (retd.) S.G. Vombatkere, S. Shylajesha, R.V. Kumar, R. Chandraprakash, Dr. T.N. Manjunath, Dr. Renu Agarwal, H.R. Prashanth and others were present during the meeting.