Right to Seek
Redressal
Prof.(Dr.) Ashok R. Patil
Professor of Law
Chair on Consumer Law and Practice
[Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India]
National Law School of India University, Bangalore
“ The customer is the most important visitor on our
premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent
on him. He is not an interruption on our work. He is the
purpose of it. He is not an outsider on our business. He
is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving
him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity
to do so”
Gandhi
Mahatma
Devices of Consumer
Protection
a. Voluntary Consumer Associations
b. Business Self-regulations: Ethical
Standards towards consumer
c. Consumer Legislations
d. State Govts. and Central Govt.
Important Events
• On 15th March 1962, President John F.
Kennedy introduced Consumer Rights in
Congress.
• United Nations Guidelines on Consumer
Protection: 09-04-1985.
• On 24th December 1987 Indian President
signed on Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Caveat Emptor to Caveat Venditor
• Consumer Rights are Human Rights
• Constitution of India
 Preamble
Article 14
Article 19(1)(g) and 19(6)
Article 21
Article 38
Article 47A
Consumer Protection
Act, 1986 (copra)
• Consumer Protection Rules, 1987
• Consumer Protection Regulations, 2005
• Amendment to COPRA: 1991, 1993,
2002 and Bill 2011
• Merits of COPRA
• Sec.3: Special Law Vs. General Law
Alternative dispute
redressal
• Internal Redressal Mechanism
• Lok Adalats
• Regulatory Authorities
• Ombudsman
• Self Regulations
• National Consumer Helpline (NCH)
• Free Legal Services of Law Schools/CollegesRecognition
Statistics of filed cases, disposed cases, pending cases and %
of total disposed cases under COPRA as on 18th Sept 2012
Sl.
No
Name of Agency
1
National Commission
2
State Commissions
3
Cases filed
Since
inception
Cases Disposed
off since
inception
Cases
Pending
% of total
Disposal
76909
66560
10349
86.54%
581102
485156
95946
83.49%
District Forums
3169197
2925782
243415
92.32%
TOTAL
3827208
3477498
349710
90.86%
THANK
YOU