HYDERABAD: It is not uncommon for consumers to buy products or services just by considering at the endorser. However, when such products or services turn to be fraudulent, there is little that can be done besides approaching a consumer forum, let alone holding the endorser accountable.
A Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, introduced in the parliament, is set to address such issue by holding any endorser liable for misleading advertisements. It has been awaiting clearance since the last two parliamentary sessions and has the potential in strengthening the 32-year Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The bill is tabled for discussion for this winter parliament session as well.
The 59-page document that is now gathering dust in the parliament has the potential in even getting the e-commerce sites more accountable for unfair trade practices. This is besides having a central consumer protection authority (CCPA) that enables the forum to impose a class suit against a manufacturer on defective products. But the crux of the issue that the bill proposes to address is the lacuna in the current Consumer Protection Act. Among several loopholes, an important one is the conduction of trial on those errant companies who refuse to comply with the orders of a consumer forum.
“According to Section 27 of the Act, the president has powers of first class judicial magistrate to conduct the trial, in accordance with the criminal procedure code. But the particular phrase is interpreted by several presidents in multiple ways, lacking uniformity,” said V Narasimha, president of Hyderabad consumer forum-2.
Besides this, the twelve consumer forums in the State, and the hundreds across the country are awaiting a major overhaul in the functioning of the forums that have been bogged down with a skeletal staff and poorly equipped machinery. And, as the new bill awaits the parliament’s scrutiny, the country will observe national consumer rights day on December 24, the day when the consumer protection act 1986 was enacted.