Consumer Rights Protection Forum

Consumer Rights Protection Forum:

The Consumer Rights Protection Forum (Constituted by Consumer Rights Protection Forum and Awareness Trust India) we are working for consumer rights for last 10 years, basically we found some deficiencies in services and defects in some good s and suffering from that issues that pain inspire us to work in this sector that day we start working to protect the consumers from unfair trade practices in India.
Generally the Business people and institutions say “Consumer is King” and he must also be treated as one. Businesses need to realize that while they are replaceable, consumers are not. The exploitation of consumers by companies that only chase the profit maximization motive needs to stop. India even has a Department of Consumer Affairs.
To fight this bad element of the business firms, the consumer needs to stand together against them and fight for their right. We are working towards these consumer affairs Consumer awareness and consumer Guidance in India. This organization is dealing with the concerns faced by consumers. They have been adopting various measures to achieve this. Following are the listed measures

Our role:

The advertisements pertaining to goods and services in Television, News papers, and Magazines influence the demand for the same by the Consumers though there may be manufacturing defects, imperfections or short comings in quality, quantity and purity of the goods or services.

Our CRPFI in this field can empower the public through their awareness creation and educational programmes , with their Web Channel, YouTube Channel  newsletters , and publications of books etc . Also we bring the issues of such service deficiencies and imperfections before the Government authorities and corrective steps can be taken or insist upon the government to prevent the sales of such products or services and safeguard the consumers from exploitations.
The Consumer Rights protection Forum (CRPFI) in this field is playing a pivotal role by doing these noble services towards the welfare of the consumer’s community. Considering their role in consumer protection, the framers of the Act, included them in Section 2 (b) (ii ) of CPA- 1986. Hence we can represent before the Forum or Commissions on behalf of the Consumers.

Also they are nominated to Consumer Protection Councils at District, State and National level and various advisory as well as recommendatory committees constituted by different departments to ensure consumer welfare.
The establishment of Consumer Councils in Chapter ll section 4 to 8 (a) & 8(b) of CPA-1986:

The Consumer Protection Act- 1986 seeks to provide better protection of the Consumer interest . For this purpose the establishment of Consumer Councils in Chapter ll section 4 to 8 (a) & 8(b) and grievance redressal system for settlement of Consumer disputes in section 9 to 27 a in Chapter lll are incorporated in the Act-1986.

Six Rights including the Right for Consumer Education are provided in the Act .( Right to Safety, Choice , Information , Redressal , Representation and Consumer Education are the Rights).

The essentiality of the Act in the beginning: The industrial revolution and the development in the international trade and commerce have led to the vast expansion of business, trade & services. As a result a variety of consumer goods have appeared in the market to cater to the needs of the consumers.

The advertisements of goods and services in television, news paper & magazines influence the demands by the consumers though there may be manufacturing defects, on the goods with poor quality, quantity & purity. For stringent action against the adulterated and sub-standard products even through different enactments have been made years before. But they were expensive and time consuming to the laymen consumers.

The Consumer Protection Act-1986

As a result of the collective thoughts of our Parliamentarians to protect and safeguard the consumers from exploitation and to save them from adulterated and sub-standard goods & services the Consumer Protection Act- 1986 was enacted by both the Houses of the Parliament and received the assent of the President of India on 24th December 1986.

The importance of this Act: 

The unfair service providers, unfair Merchants / traders, & unhealthy goods manufacturers are liable to pay compensation to the aggrieved Consumer for his financial loss, physical difficulties including mental agony.

The essence of the Consumer Protection Act- 1986 was speedy, simple & inexpensive.

After getting the assent from the President of India, in the beginning itself, the Act has faced many hurdles from its enemies such as the Bureaucrats, unfair traders, Service providers and unhealthy goods manufactures. As a result the complete system has been paralyzed till 1991, and the Supreme Court intervened.

After the intervention of the Supreme Court the Consumer Affairs authorities were forced to function as per the Act. Since 1991 to 2001 under the leadership of the former Ministers like Sri A.K. Antony & Shri. P.Santhakumar , the country witnessed a tremendous progress in speedy settlement of disputes and spreading consumer awareness .

But soon after the organized unfair traders, service providers &manufactures having muzzle and money power, influenced the bureaucrats in the Ministry and Department of Consumers Affairs, Krishi Bhavan Govt. of India, New Delhi to roll back the corrupt practices prevalent before 1991.

To satisfy the whims & fancies of the unfair traders ,SPs & manufactures the Department of Consumer Affairs, brought in a number of ‘ Negative Reforms’ . Their ultimate aim was to freeze the complete consumer protection activities throughout India and safeguard the interest of the unfair traders and unfair service providers who are the enemies of CPA-1986. (The present status shows that they have succeeded in their mission)

As a result they have imposed minimum Rs.100 .00 as fees in the Consumer courts. .The Act was altered against the interest of the common man without the consent of the Parliament.

As a result they have imposed minimum Rs.100 .00 as fee for filing a case like the dispute of cost of Rs. 50.00 or even below. The Dept. of Consumer Affairs was justifying their action by saying that it will prevent the flow of illegal complaint, from the consumers.

But, section 26 of the CPA-1986, has provision for the dismissal of frivolous & vexatious complaints and punishment is also provided .Then why they have imposed fee is a question still to be answered. (In spite of the above provision in the Act the dept. has imposed fee without the consent of the Parliament) The Dept. of Consumer Affairs also says that they have exempted the fees for the poorest of the poor such as Anthiodaya and Annayojana category people


The facts related to the exemption of the Anthiodaya and Annayojana category people: 
The 99.9% of this particular community included the literacy state of Kerala, do not know about the Consumer Protection Act and their rights as per this Act. For the last 25 years the dept. of Consumer Affairs has failed to spread the potential and the importance of the Act among the rural level? Then how will Anthiodaya and Annayojana category people be benefited by the mercy of the department.?

By information through RTI Act -2005 the department has failed to give the details of “flow of illegal complaint, from the consumers as well as the Anthiodaya and Annayojana category people benefited so far”.

A number of other steps: The Councils activities have been frozen.

The Councils activities have been ice-covered throughout India to prevent the NGOs who are in Consumer Protection field .

In Chapter II Section 4 to 8 (a)& 8(b)provides for the Central, State and District Consumer Protection Councils .

(11)National Consumer Day Celebration on 24th December :

The National Consumer Rights Day on 24th December is also celebrated since 2001. Shri. P.Santhakumar the former Minister for Consumer Affairs , decided to strengthen the Consumer Awareness and Educational activities at grass root level to spread maximum consumer awareness and safeguard their interest. To give encouragement he has decided to celebrate 24th December as National Consumer Rights Day in commemoration of the assent being received for the CPA 1986 from the President of India.

But there was no further action to include the day in the list of National Celebration days in India after Mr. P. Santhakumar the former Minister. Hence the National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated only by the Consumer Affairs Majority of the Student community is not aware about these celebrations still. This is also another reason for the failure of Consumer Education and Awareness at Rural level.

This is the fate of the Consumer days celebrations in India. Every year passes by celebrating these days by spending lakhs & lakhs rupees by the department of Consumer Affairs. .There is no advantage to the deserving 85% of the total people in India. It has also adversely affected the Consumer Education in Rural as well as Urban India.

Direction may please be given to the Ministry and the Department of Consumer Affairs to include day in the National Day Celebration list to strengthen the Consumer movement & awareness at grass root level.
We celebrate the national consumer’s day and International consumer’s day celebrations also during the celebrations we are trying get awareness in grass root level especially in student community.