Govt Hosts Regional Workshop in Raipur to Strengthen AI-Driven Consumer Justice

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh, convened a two-day Regional Workshop on Strengthening Consumer Protection Mechanisms on 21–22 February 2026, reaffirming its commitment to technology-led, accessible and time-bound consumer justice delivery.

The workshop brought together judicial leaders, policymakers and state officials to accelerate reforms in consumer grievance redressal through digital platforms, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and institutional capacity building.

Focus on Speed, Technology and Accessibility

The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Dayaldas Baghel, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Chhattisgarh; Shri Justice A. P. Sahi, President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC); Shri Justice Gautam Chourdiya, President, Chhattisgarh State Commission; Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India; and Smt. Reena Baba Saheb Kangale, Secretary, Chhattisgarh Consumer Affairs Department.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Baghel highlighted the transformative role of reforms such as e-filing, e-hearing and AI-enabled case management in ensuring speedy, affordable justice. He also stressed the need to tackle emerging digital challenges, including dark patterns in e-commerce and effective execution of Consumer Commission orders.

₹52 Crore Refunded via National Consumer Helpline

In her keynote address, Smt. Nidhi Khare underscored the Centre's focus on strengthening pre-litigation grievance mechanisms to reduce case pendency and financial burden on consumers.

She highlighted the performance of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) as an effective pre-litigation platform, particularly for small-value claims.

From 25 April 2025 to 31 January 2026, over ₹52 crore has been refunded to consumers across 31 sectors through NCH interventions, demonstrating tangible and time-bound relief.

She also emphasised the rollout of the e-Jagriti platform, which provides end-to-end digital case management across Consumer Commissions to improve transparency, monitoring and efficiency.

AI tools are being increasingly deployed for:

• Intelligent grievance analytics

• Early identification of systemic issues

• Detection of unfair trade practices such as dark patterns

• Reducing pendency through predictive insights

Justice Sahi Calls for Capacity and Collaboration

Justice A. P. Sahi, President of NCDRC, highlighted the evolving consumer protection landscape under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. He stressed:

• Timely disposal of cases

• Filling vacancies across commissions

• Strengthening coordination between national, state and district forums

• Responsible use of AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement for judicial discretion

He underscored that accessible and swift justice remains fundamental to consumer empowerment.

Six Thematic Technical Sessions

The workshop featured six focused technical sessions:

1. E-Jagriti, e-Filing, e-Hearing and AI integration

2. Procedures for admission of complaints

3. Digital and e-commerce challenges, including dark patterns

4. Speedy disposal of execution applications

5. Deliberations on amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

6. Procedural uniformity across Consumer Commissions

A parallel session addressed Legal Metrology issues, including E-Maap implementation, the Jan Vishwas Bill and deregulation reforms.

Inter-State Collaboration and Best Practices

Delegates from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Jharkhand participated in the deliberations, sharing best practices to strengthen institutional effectiveness and reduce case backlogs.

The event was attended by Members of the NCDRC, Presidents and Registrars of State and District Commissions, NIC representatives, Voluntary Consumer Organisations and senior officials from participating states.

Continued Reform Momentum Since 2022

Since June 2022, the Department of Consumer Affairs has conducted multiple regional workshops and state-level consultations to systematically review pendency, improve operational efficiency and strengthen grievance redressal frameworks nationwide.

Reiterating its support to States, the Department emphasised that a technology-driven, transparent and consumer-friendly justice system is central to safeguarding consumer rights and enhancing trust in market systems.