Govt to make e-filing of consumer complaints mandatory from April 2023: Official

From April next year, the government has made e-filing of consumer complaints compulsory. The move is expected to help in redressing grievances faster, according to a senior official said on Monday. For the time being, people can file complaints before consumer commissions or courts, both in physical and online mode.

The electronic filing (e-filing) option for consumer complaints was introduced on September 7, 2020.

"Looking at the success of e-filing, we are going to make it mandatory from April 1, 2023 for all consumer commissions in the country," said the official at the consumer affairs ministry.


According to the official, the mandatory e-filing of complaints will also help people file consumer complaints directly without the help of a lawyer at his or her choice. Once the complaints are in the form of e-filings, it will facilitate speedier disposal of the cases, the official added.

To address consumer grievances, there is a three-tier system starting with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (DCDRF). At the state level, it is the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and at the national level, it is the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The ministry has taken several measures to strengthen infrastructure of consumer courts in the country to facilitate easy filing and early disposal of cases.

(With inputs from PTI)