Data from the online consumer case monitoring system, Confonet, show that the average period of adjournment during this year in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh state consumer commissions is 109 days, while in Assam the gap between two hearings is 110 days. The average adjournment period in Haryana state consumer commission is around 98 days and in West Bengal it’s 90 days. In the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, the average adjournment period is 75 days. The trend was worse during the past three years although the amendments to the Consumer Protection Act in 2019 had specified that any consumer complaint admitted by the commission must be disposed of within three days.
In a letter to all commissions, union consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said, “Frequent and long adjournments not only deny a consumer his right to be heard and seek redressal, but also take away the spirit of enactment which the legislature intended. Therefore, consumer commissions are requested to ensure that in no circumstance adjournment for a long period is provided. Further, in case of more than two requests of adjournment by either parties, consumer commissions may, as a measure of deterrence, impose costs on parties.”
The ministry has called a meeting of all the presidents and members of consumer commissions on May 31 for assessment and to chart a way forward. Singh has mentioned that the Act also stipulates that no adjournment shall ordinarily be granted by consumer commissions unless sufficient cause is shown and the reasons for grant of adjournment have been recorded in writing.”
The Consumer Protection Act stipulates three months (90 days) for resolution of complaints by the consumer commissions.
