The Supreme Court today ordered for vacancies in State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions in all states and union territories to be charged within a period of eight weeks.
While performing so, the Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy observed,
“When legislature mandates, consent or no consent does not matter. We are not providing extensions. Enough time was provided to set houses in order. Time will be fixed now.”
The Court thus gave the following directions to states and UTs:
- Some of the states have not published Rules under Section 44 of the Consumer Protection Act. We deliver all state secretaries to inform the Rules in two weeks from today.
- States are yet dilly-dallying publishing the Rules; if Rules are not published in two weeks, then model Rules made by the Centre will automatically practice for the respective Commission.
- In view of a huge number of vacancies, we instruct that all current and potential vacancies be notified if not done so within two weeks
- It seems some states and UTs have not set up selection committees. The states are instructed to set up such boards within four weeks from today.
- All vacancies in State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions should be charged by all 30 states and UTs within the most period of 8 weeks from today.
The Court gave these commands in its suo motu case concerning the inaction of state governments in selecting the Chairperson, members and respective staff of various District and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions across India.
Today, the Court recorded that as per Section 42 of the Consumer Protection Act, each State Commission is to have a Chairman and not less than four members.
