Andhra Pradesh ranks first in grievance redressal
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the national leader in consumer grievance redressal, securing the top spot among 19 large and mid-sized States in the Consumer Justice Report 2026.
Released by the India Justice Report (IJR), the study evaluates the capacity of State Commissions based on staffing, case clearance, and infrastructure. Trailing Andhra Pradesh in the top five are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and West Bengal, while Meghalaya leads the ranking for smaller States.
The State’s success is driven by high efficiency and low vacancy rates at the district level. Between 2020 and 2024, Andhra Pradesh cleared nearly 93% of its total consumer cases.
Furthermore, it reported the lowest share of long-term pendency in its category, with only 4.75% of cases at the State Commission pending for over three years. District Commissions also showed strong stability, recording the lowest shortfalls for Presidents (6%) and members (3%) as of 2025.
Despite these achievements, significant hurdles remain regarding the speed of justice and structural gaps. Only 25% of cases were resolved within the legally mandated 90-day window, with the State Commission taking an average of 416 days to close a case.
Additionally, the report notes that as of 2025, the State Commission lacked a President, and only 17 of the State’s 26 districts had a dedicated District Dispute Redressal Commission.
The report also highlights a heavy reliance on the consumer courts for specific industries, with insurance disputes accounting for one-third of all complaints, followed by housing and banking.
While the State meets the minimum requirement for female representation on commissions, gender diversity among general staff has remained stagnant at 21% for the past four years, signalling a need for more inclusive hiring practices moving forward.
Consumer Justice REPORT 2026
National Leader: Andhra Pradesh ranks 1st in India for consumer justice capacity among large States
Efficiency Milestone: Cleared 93% of all cases (2020–2024) with the lowest long-term pendency (4.75%) in its class
Staff Strength: Maintains the lowest district-level vacancies for Presidents (6%) and members (3%) nationwide
Sector Focus: Insurance (34%), Housing (12%), and Banking (11%) remain the primary sources of consumer grievances
Timeliness Gap: Only 1 in 4 cases is resolved within the mandated 90-day period, averaging 416 days for disposal