Wait for justice cut short to 10 days
Consumer can now haul up any company in a new court called ‘National Protection Court Authority’.
By Rajat Guha & MK Venu, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Unhappy with your new TV set, found something wrong with your chocolate bar or facing billing problems at the hands of your credit card company? Your wait for justice is over. The government is all set to create a ‘simple, inexpensive and quicker delivery system’, where the consumer can haul up any company - large or small - in a new court called ‘National Protection Court Authority’. A draft Cabinet note has been circulated among various ministries for the purpose.
The proposed authority would be a quasi-judicial body aimed at delivering speedy justice unlike consumer courts, where justice is delayed for years. The new body promises to deliver justice within 10 days’ time.
The new judicial system - the brainchild of ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution - will work on the lines of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US.
Exploitation through misleading advertisements, frauds through e-commerce, credit cards, telemarketing, internet marketing, pyramid schemes, identity theft and many other practices of fly-by-night operators will come under the new court’s hammer. Its judgement can be contested only in the Supreme Court.
“The government feels that it is necessary to set up an authority to protect the interests of consumers and address their greivances in a proactive manner. The authority would ensure that consumers get proper goods and services, free from any kind of exploitation, defects or deficiencies and provide time-bound justice,” a senior government official told ET.
Meanwhile, the department of consumer affairs has also proposed to take over the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) with suitable modifications in order to convert it into an independent consumer protection authority.
“We as an organised retailer welcome the move, as the new regulation will wipe out the fly-by-night operators from the market. Only well-known and organised business will remain and do their businesses,” said Lalit Kumar, MD, Ebony Retail.
“The move is certainly going to make the manufacturers more acountable. They would certainly ensure best quality products in fear they might be hauled in case of failure to comply with the norms. Of course, the retailers will also give due consideration to what they are selling and from whom are they procuring the finished products,” said LG India sales and marketing head, Girish Rao.
The proposed authority would be a quasi-judicial body aimed at delivering speedy justice unlike consumer courts, where justice is delayed for years. The new body promises to deliver justice within 10 days’ time.
The new judicial system - the brainchild of ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution - will work on the lines of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US.
Exploitation through misleading advertisements, frauds through e-commerce, credit cards, telemarketing, internet marketing, pyramid schemes, identity theft and many other practices of fly-by-night operators will come under the new court’s hammer. Its judgement can be contested only in the Supreme Court.
“The government feels that it is necessary to set up an authority to protect the interests of consumers and address their greivances in a proactive manner. The authority would ensure that consumers get proper goods and services, free from any kind of exploitation, defects or deficiencies and provide time-bound justice,” a senior government official told ET.
Meanwhile, the department of consumer affairs has also proposed to take over the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) with suitable modifications in order to convert it into an independent consumer protection authority.
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Corporates in general have welcomed the government move. “We as an organised retailer welcome the move, as the new regulation will wipe out the fly-by-night operators from the market. Only well-known and organised business will remain and do their businesses,” said Lalit Kumar, MD, Ebony Retail.
“The move is certainly going to make the manufacturers more acountable. They would certainly ensure best quality products in fear they might be hauled in case of failure to comply with the norms. Of course, the retailers will also give due consideration to what they are selling and from whom are they procuring the finished products,” said LG India sales and marketing head, Girish Rao.
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