Dimapur, December 19 (MExN): Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has highlighted the lack of infrastructure for State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (State Commission) for the last several years. NVCO Press & Media Cell in a press release stated that State Commission has been conducting cases in Circuit House, Kohima and now most of the time in Dimapur District Court. As there was no place, the Commission brings case files/office files from home to the place where cases are to be conducted, it said.
“The District Commissions are not independent but the District Principal/Session Judge holds dual charge and time to time conduct consumer cases and the new districts are yet to set up consumer disputes redressal commission,” it stated.
It stated that the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 has added more facilities for the aggrieved consumers such as electronic filing, e-commerce, and mediation cell to be attach to each consumer disputes redressal commission, etc. “Whereas the State Government is yet to take initiative for the setting up of the mentioned facilities. The new Act has also created Central Consumer Protection Authority. And on top of that awareness is still lacking amongst the consumers in Nagaland,” NVCO alleged.
NVCO President, Advocate Kezhokhoto Savi stated that the Consumer holds the most power in buying and selling of goods. “Where the West has properly established consumer rights, India is still striving to highlight its national consumer movement and stand in solidarity with it. With e-commerce gaining more and more popularity, it is important for consumers, to be aware of and exercise their rights, as well as their responsibilities,” he stated.
The rising of the competition, innovation and increasing presence of e-commerce services resulted the tried – and – trusted habits of the consumer has been disrupted, which created a need for the Consumer Protection Act to be revised and revamped. Taking this dynamic and advanced market place into perspective, India’s parliament passed the updated Consumer Protection Bill on August 6, 2019 which received approval for the President of India on Aug 9, 2019 and declared as the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The new Act i.e the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 have solely replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, it informed.
It may be mentioned that to mark National Consumer Rights Day (December 24), NVCO conducts week-long awareness programmes.
