Salient Features of Consumer Protection ACt

This Act is applicable on all the products and services, until or unless any pro
duct or service is especially debarred out of the scope of this Act by the Centr
al Government.
This Act is applicable to all the areas whether private, public or cooperative.
Many Acts have been passed for the help of consumers. Consumers enjoy the benefi
ts of these Acts but if a consumer wishes the Consumer Protection Act can provid
e extra help. As a result the nature of provisions of this Act is compensating f
or the loss or providing extra help. Consumer is totally free to enjoy the benef
its provided in the Act.
Group of Consumer s Rights:
This Act provides many rights to consumers. These rights are related to safety,
information, choice, representation, redressal, education etc.
Effective Safeguards:
This Act provides safety to consumers regarding defective products, dissatisfact
ory services and unfair trade practices. So under the purview of this Act there
is a provision to ban all those activities which can cause a risk for consumer.
Three-tier Grievances Redressal Machinery:
Consumer courts have been established so that the consumers can enjoy their righ
ts. This Act presents Three- tier Grievances Redressal Machinery:
(i) At District Level-District Forum
(ii) At State Level -State Commission
(iii) At National Level

National Commission.

Time Bound Redressal:

A main feature of the Act is that under this, the cases are decided in a limited
time of period. 1. The Act provides speedy redressal to consumer complainants.
The Bill provides for setting up of a Consumer Redressal Forum in every district
, a commission at the state level and the National Commission at the Centre. The
Forum in the District will have original jurisdiction to redress complaints up
to claim of Rs. 1 lakh (after amendment up to 10 lakhs).
Consumer Protection Council:
To favour consumer protection and to encourage consumer s awareness there is a pro
vision in this Act to establish Consumer Protection Councils.
2. To promote voluntary consumer movement and to ensure involvement of consumers
. The Bill provides for the establishment of Consumer Protection Councils at cen
tre and in the states. These Councils will have both non-official and official m
embers. The objects of the Councils will be to promote and protect the rights of
the consumers.
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The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 sought to provide better protection to the int
erests of the consumers and for that purpose made provisions for the establishme

nt of Consumer Protection Councils and other authorities for resolving consumers

disputes. The Consumer Protection Councils would be set up at national and state
levels (Section 6 of Consumer Protection Act)
The objects of the Central Consumers Protection Council and State Consumers Prot
ection Councils are to promote and protect the rights of the consumers, such as:
(a) The right to be protected against marketing of goods and services which are
hazardous to life and property.
(b) The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, stand
ard and price of goods or services as the case may be so as to protect the consu
mer against unfair trade practices.
(c) The right to be assured wherever possible, access to a variety of goods and
services at competitive prices.