*Appointment of President, Members forwarded to Competent Authority
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 25: With the winding up of various commissions in erstwhile J&K State after abrogation of Article 370 and implementation of J&K Re-Organization Act 2019, Government has adopted a process for re-constitution and setting up of Consumer Commission and District Consumer Commissions in J&K.
The Under Secretary to Government, Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Suresh Kumar Mattoo in his communication to the grievance of one Advocate Nasir Ahmad Shalla (Practising lawyer dealing with consumer cases) with regard to reconstitution and setting up of new Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and its Forums in all the district of J&K UT under the Central Consumer Protection Act has informed that the Department of FCS&CA after adopting a fair and transparent process, completed the process of inviting applications and finalizing the recommendations of the notified vacancies of President and Members for the Consumer Commission.
“The recommendations of the Selection Committee for appointment of President and Members have already been forwarded to the Competent Authority for a consideration”, Under Secretary adds in his letter.
With regard to operating and making functional the District consumer Commissions, it is said, the department has received the applications after a transparent advertisement process and further action in the matter is underway, in accordance with rules.
It is after coming into force the Central Consumer Protection Act and notifying of rules by the Central Government after abrogation of Article 370 the process of constitution of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and its Forums in all district was initiated last year 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.
Since the Central Consumer Protection Act has come into force and the rules have also been notified by the Central Government now the appointment of President and members for the Consumer Commission is to be made by the approval of committee to make the Commission and forums functional.
The J&K UT Government on October 23 last year had 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.
A 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.
Pertinently the Supreme Court in a suo motu proceedings recently in its decision ordered the Centre, States and UTs to fill consumer court vacancies at national, States, UTs and district levels duly notifying the rules of appointments, advertising the posts and setting up of selection committees within eight weeks.
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