World Consumer Rights Day 2026: Activists Flag Delays And Procedural Hurdles Weakening Consumer Protection Law

Mumbai, March 14: On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day on March 15, consumer activists and legal experts expressed mixed views on the effectiveness of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, stating that while the law was originally enacted to empower ordinary consumers, procedural complexities and increasing pendency of cases have made access to justice difficult.

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Anand Patwardhan

Procedural hurdles affecting consumers

Advocate Anand Patwardhan, former president of the Consumer Court’s Advocates Association, said the law was initially designed to provide a simple and speedy remedy to consumers against companies, service providers and manufacturers. However, he pointed out that over the years, the process of approaching consumer commissions has become increasingly technical.

“The law was meant for the common man who could directly approach the commission and argue his own case. But now, due to procedural requirements and documentation formalities, it has become difficult for a layperson to navigate the system without legal assistance,” Patwardhan said.

He added that the growing use of technical procedures such as mandatory scanning and uploading of documents has also created barriers for many complainants who lack access to such facilities. According to him, matters that should ideally be resolved within a short period often continue for years, particularly when appeals are filed.

Patwardhan further noted that earlier consumers could personally argue their cases before the commission without engaging a lawyer, but the system has gradually adopted practices similar to regular courts, making it more complex and time-consuming.

Dr M S Kamath

Implementation challenges highlighted

Consumer protection activist M. S. Kamath, Secretary of CGSI, said that the problem lies not in the law itself but in its implementation.

“The consumer protection laws are very good and extremely helpful to citizens. However, the implementation leaves a lot to be desired,” Kamath said. He added that many companies and service providers no longer fear penalties under consumer laws because cases often take several years to be decided.

Explaining the issue of pendency, Kamath said delays defeat the purpose of the law. “If a consumer approaches the court over a small grievance, such as a damaged product, getting a decision after five or seven years cannot be considered justice,” he said.

Kamath also criticised the lack of adequate infrastructure and manpower in consumer courts, particularly in Maharashtra, stating that the government has not invested sufficiently in strengthening the system.

He suggested that stronger penalties and exemplary costs should be imposed in cases where companies deliberately violate consumer rights, as seen in some Western jurisdictions where corporations face heavy compensation orders.

Kamath also recommended the creation of additional consumer courts on a temporary basis to clear pending cases and ensure that complaints are disposed of within the 90-day period prescribed under the law.

Adv Shirish Deshpande

Concerns over functioning of consumer commissions

Meanwhile, Adv Shirish V Deshpande, Chairman, Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, said, “The law CPA is indeed consumer friendly. It has a potential to empower consumers to fight against injustice. The CPA has helped numerous consumers till date. But over a period of time the things have deteriorated. The problem is not with the law. The problem lies in implementation. The implementation is adversely affected due to a variety of reasons including poor infrastructure, untrained staff, failure to fill vacancies of the Presidents and the Members of the Consumer Commissions in time.”

Adv Deshpande further said, “The problem also lies in procedures adopted by Consumer Commissions including the National Consumer Commission, which has converted these Consumer Commissions into Civil Courts. The casual manner in which the adjournments are given by Consumer Commissions is a matter of serious concern. There is absolutely no control and accountability on Consumer Commissions' failure to dispose of the Complaints and Appeals before them within a reasonable period of time. Consumers have lost faith in the functioning of the Consumer Commissions.

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“Drastic steps are required to completely revamp the functioning of the Consumer Commissions. Fortunately, the Department of Consumer Affairs has undertaken an exercise to improve the functioning of consumer commissions in the country and I hope all stakeholders including the state governments fully cooperate and support these efforts,” added advocate Deshpande.

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