Supreme Court's Directive on Consumer Dispute Cases: A New Chapter in Justice Delivery

In a decisive move, the Supreme Court on Wednesday utilized Article 142 of the Constitution to direct several high courts to adjudicate consumer complaints that were pending with state consumer disputes redressal bodies. This unprecedented step was taken to expedite justice in states where consumer courts had low or negligible caseloads.

Article 142 enables the Supreme Court to ensure 'complete justice' by passing necessary orders in pending matters. The Consumer Protection Act prescribes a mechanism where the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (SCDRCs) handle complaints with claims between Rs 1 crore and Rs 10 crore, but several states reported such low pendency that relevant state commissions were almost non-functional.

The apex court's decision aims to prevent wastage of public resources and is an effort to streamline the consumer dispute redressal process. A high court judge, supported by technical experts, will manage these cases, presumably completing the process within three months. This measure also requests prompt file transfers from SCDRCs to high court registrar generals for action.