HYDERABAD: March 15 marks the World Consumer Rights Day. But bad news for Hyderabad’s consumers, as real-time surveillance of the district consumer forums, held following Supreme Court orders, has brought their inefficiency to light. A fortnight after the installation of CCTV cameras that relay live footage from 12 district consumer forums to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) in Hyderabad, it is learnt that a majority of them operate as per the whims of advocates and Bar Associations, hardly adhering to the official working hours.
The decision to install CCTV cameras came as part of the Supreme Court directions to ensure that all courts and tribunals should have cameras and must keep audio and video footage for 180 days. “We inquired into the late commencement of proceedings with the respective district fora,” said Justice MSK Jaiswal, president of SCDRC.
“What we came to understand is that these changes were based on requests made by the local Bar Association. The proceedings would begin as per the convenience of the advocates,” he added.