Substandard facilities, lack of internet access afflict consumer courts: Panel

NEW DELHI: Consumer courts are in bad shape and need immediate attention, according to an interim report of a Supreme Court appointed committee. The panel headed by retired SC judge Justice Arijit Pasayat, which submitted its report recently to the apex court, has found the consumer forums and commissions at every level are working with inadequate infrastructure and in many cases the members have no internet access.

Moreover, meagre salary for members makes the job unattractive for talented and experienced people, the report says.

It has also mentioned how there is poor supporting staff for such forums and commission dealing with thousands of cases. At present, over 10,000 cases are pending before the national commission, 98,000 before state commissions and 2.8 lakh before district forums. It has found how there is inadequate space to accommodate facilities like library, computer room, court rooms, store, mediation hall and for visitor waiting room. It says though the central government has been financing 11,000 sq ft area for construction, states have not used that much area, which is causing constraints.

The report states that in Mumbai and Bangalore the commissions are working in rented or other government buildings with minimum facilities. The panel has found that in almost all states there is no separate cadre for supporting staff. Employees are transferred by the time they gain experience and new persons are posted without any skill.