CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has issued notice to chief secretary Anu Garg in a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with its order to fill up vacancies in the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) within six months.
The HC also issued contempt notice in the matter to principal secretary Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department Sanjay Kumar Singh.
“This contempt petition has been filed alleging non-compliance of the order dated 20th August, 2025 passed by this court,” the two-judge bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman observed, directing issuance of notice to the two top officials and fixing November 26 for the next hearing.
Cuttack resident Sonali Swain, represented by advocate Mohit Agarwal filed the contempt petition, alleging that the state government failed to comply with the directions issued in her PIL despite the six-month deadline.
The PIL had highlighted vacancies in the SCDRC and their adverse impact on the functioning of consumer dispute redressal. Information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, cited in the contempt petition, revealed that the post of SCDRC president had remained vacant since July 3, 2023. One of its four member posts fell vacant on March 4, 2026, while the post of joint registrar had been lying vacant since February 28, 2023.
Several other posts, including personal assistant, senior and junior stenographers, junior assistant, driver, process server and five peons, were also vacant, the contempt petition stated.
While disposing of the PIL on August 20, 2025, the high court had underscored that staffing SCDRC was a statutory responsibility under Section 46 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the government could not shirk away its responsibility. It had observed that consumers approaching these quasi-judicial body should not be made to wait indefinitely for grievance redressal because of staff shortages.
The court had directed the government to initiate recruitment at least six months before an anticipated vacancy, ensuring continuity in the functioning of consumer forums and timely disposal of cases.
