Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 10: With the winding up of various Commissions in erstwhile J&K State after implementation of J&K Re-Organization Act 2019 last year, Government today informed the Court about reconstitution of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (CDRC) and District Consumer Forums to redress the grievances of consumers and the court directed for filing of compliance report with regard to early functioning of Commission and Forums.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta after being informed by the counsel appearing for Department of FCS&CA with regard to coming into force the Central Consumer Protection Act and notifying of rules by the Central Government in this regard, directed for completing the process of constitution of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and its Forums in all district by next date in order to settle the pending cases in these Commissions and Forums as also paving way for the consumers to register fresh grievances before Commission and Forums.
Hearing the petition with reference to effective functioning of the erstwhile State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, the Division Bench has been apprised by the Government that since the Central Consumer Protection Act has come into force and the rules have also been recently notified by the Central Government now the appointment of Judges and members is to be made by the approval of committee to make the Commission and forums functional. “Report compliance with regard to completing the process of selection of Presiding Officers and members for functioning of Commission and Forums before next date”, DB directed.
J&K Government on October 23 last year directed for closure of the erstwhile State Consumer Disputes Redressal (SCDRC) Commission and District Consumer Forums due to implementation of J&K Re-Organization Act 2019 and all the staff posted in the said Commission was asked to report to their concerned Administrative Departments for their repatriation to their respective departments with immediate effect. All records pertaining to the erstwhile J&K SCDRC was transferred to the Department of FCS&CA for records.
The amicus appointed to the PIL informed the court that large number of consumer disputes which were pending disposal before the Redressal Commission and District Forms of J&K and Ladakh were transferred to the Consumer Department and is in-terms of Table-3 of J&K Re-Organization Act, the Consumer Protection Act stands repealed and in terms of the schedule fifth and the Central Consumer Protection Act came to be applicable to both the UTs.
With the winding up process of the Redressal Commission and District Forums all the presidents of these Forums, who were on deputation as District Judges at Srinagar and Jammu were repatriated to the High Court and the cases were left without Forums.
Being the position of law and in view of important public interest involved in the matter, court sought compliance report with regard to reconstitution and functioning of Commissions Disputes Redressal Commission and District Forms so that the pending cases are settled.
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