Where can the consumer access justice? The commissions are falling woefully short
Indian Express·2h ago·Neutral
What Happened
India's consumer dispute commissions face severe staffing shortages, with 30-50% president vacancies and 40% member vacancies in 2025. Only 685 of 775 district commissions exist. Cases average 681 days for resolution despite five-month mandates. Seventeen state commissions lack presidents. Over 35% of cases pending exceed three years. The Consumer Justice Report 2026 identifies institutional gaps limiting justice delivery capacity.
Key Entities
Consumer Protection Act 2019India Justice ReportState Consumer Disputes Redressal CommissionCentral Consumer Protection AuthoritySouth Goa District Consumer Disputes Redressal CommissionOla Electric TechnologiesBhavish AgarwalBombay High CourtSP Bagla CommitteeRajasthanWest BengalKarnatakaJharkhand