"Huge pendency in District fora & State Forum": Delhi High Court seeks status report of working hours in District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums

Considering the huge pendency in the District Fora and the State Forum, Justice Pratibha M. Singh of the Delhi High Court has sought a status report of the working hours, especially in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums.

Observing that the Consumer Forum(s) should function for the full working hours for hearing matters daily between 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., as per the Consumer Protection (Administrative Control Over the State Commission and the District Forum) Regulations, 2018, the Court ordered Sumanta Chakraborty, Registrar, Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to submit the status report before September 6, 2022.

The learned counsel for the GNCTD submitted that a Selection Committee has been formed to appoint members to the vacant positions in the District and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora.

It was also stated that additional infrastructure is being sought and is being coordinated with the relevant officials, and he requested four weeks to place the status report on record.

To this, the Court ordered to submit a status report on the same within four weeks.

“The report shall provide information about the infrastructure provided as well as provide the status of vacancies in the District and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora, including the staff,” the court added.

Accordingly, Court listed the matter for September 6, 2022.

CASE TITLE: MOHAN PRASAD (SINCE DECEASED) THROUGH HIS LRS SH. YOGESH & ORS. v. EMPLOYEES STATE INSURANCE CORPORATION & ANR.