New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has sought a report from the Delhi State Consumer Commission on the status of working hours of consumer forums here, taking note of huge pendency of cases in the district and state fora.
The high court said the consumer forums ought to function for full working hours for hearing matters between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on a daily basis, according to the regulations.
“Considering the large pendency in the District Fora and the State Forum, it is urged that the President, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum shall look into this matter. The Consumer Forum(s) ought to function for the full working hours for hearing matters between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on a daily basis, as per the Regulations.
“A report be submitted by Sumanta Chakraborty, Registrar, Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission… before the next date of hearing, as to the status of the working hours, especially in the District Forum(s),” Justice Prathiba M Singh.
The court was informed by the Delhi government counsel that a selection committee has been constituted for the purpose of appointment of members in respect of the vacant positions in the District and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora and further infrastructure has also been sought and the same is being coordinated with the officials concerned.
The counsel sought four weeks’ time to file further status report on record.
Regarding the infrastructure, the high court said the officials concerned of the Department of Consumer Affairs of Delhi government shall continue their interactions with the President of the state consumer commission to ensure that the infrastructure is now put in place.
“Let the status report in this regard be now filed within four weeks. The same shall give details of the infrastructure provided and also inform the court as to the status of the vacancies in the District and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora, including the staff,” it said.
The high court was informed by another counsel that the district consumer fora only sit for a limited amount of time between 11:30 am to 12:20 pm and between 12:20 pm to 1:10 p.m, as was evident from the cause list shown to the court.
The high court noted that as per the regulations, all consumer fora have to function between 10:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
The court was dealing with a petition relating to a grievance that the district consumer forum (West) at Janakpuri here had not disposed of a consumer complaint which was filed in 2007.
It had earlier called for a report on the issue of vacancies of staff and members in consumer fora.
The court had noted that it was expected that physical courts ought to resume quickly in such fora and that some priority must be given to old matters where the evidence was concluded and were pending for final hearing.
In January, it had called for a report in respect of filling up vacancies and infrastructure requirements across all district forum and state commission here.
According to an earlier report submitted by the registrar of the commission, there were a total 725 cases pending for final hearing before the State Commission and 6,834 number of cases pending for final hearing before various district for a here. PTI SKV ZMN
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