With the city in the grip of a heatwave, a district consumer forum in Delhi recently adjourned a case to November due to excessive heat and lack of infrastructure.
"There is neither air conditioner nor air cooler in the court room. Temperature is more than 40 degree. There is too much heat in the court room, as such it is difficult to hear arguments. Moreover, there is no water supply even to go to the bathroom and ease ourselves," the Dwarka district consumer forum said in a May 21 order that was made public on May 28.
The forum directed that a copy of the order be also sent to the secretary-cum-commissioner in the department of consumer affairs to bring the plight of the consumer courts to their knowledge.
While the consumer forums are regulated by a central legislation (consumer protection act, 2019), infrastructure, salaries and appointment of members for state and district forums is done by state governments.
Consumer forums are plagued with pendency and lack of infrastructure. Though the law on consumer protection was upgraded in 2019, the infrastructure is still to catch up.
The Supreme Court has on its own taken note of the issue and has passed orders for states and the Centre to improve the situation but infrastructure remains woefully inadequate.
A district consumer forum can hear and decide a dispute of up to pecuniary value of Rs 1 crore. For the state commission, the limit has been enhanced from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore and a national commission can decide disputes over and above Rs 10 crore.
Unlike high courts and the Supreme Court, consumer forums don’t have a summer break. In recent days, parts of Delhi have recorded temperatures close to 50 degrees Celsius as heatwave tightens grip. Hotter than usual conditions have also been reported from several other parts of the country.
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