Supreme Court pulls up states for failing to fill up vacancies in consumer fora

SC directed states to fill up around 800 vacancies in consumer courts across the country within eight weeks

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the states for "defeating the laws enacted for the benefits of people," as it directed them to fill up around 800 vacancies in consumer courts across the country within eight weeks.

“What do you all want? That people should not get redressal under the laws. This is not fair. This is unacceptable,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy told the counsel appearing for the Union government and States.

“Don't create hopes when you are unwilling to fulfil aspirations. If you raise hopes that consumers will get their disputes redressed, you have to have an adequate number of people to deal with the cases coming up... We can't let consumers and citizens to your mercy if you aren't willing to perform,” it added.

The bench has ordered that all vacancies in consumer courts at national, state and district levels must be filled up by the Centre, states and Union territories in eight weeks after duly notifying the rules of appointments, advertising the posts and setting up selection committees.

Taking exception to the “dilly dallying” by the Centre and states, the court directed that Secretary of the consumer affairs ministry at the Centre and Chief Secretaries of the state governments will have to remain present through video-conferencing on the next date of hearing if the order on filling up vacant posts is not complied with.

Senior counsel Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Aditya Narain, acting as amicus curiae furnished a tabular chart showing the district consumer fora had 721 vacant posts that included 188 vacancies of presidents.

Similarly, 72 posts were vacant across the state commissions and the number included eight vacancies of presidents. The national consumer commission has three vacancies.

The top court passed its order in a Suo Motu matter registered as “inaction of the government” in appointing members of the consumer courts and providing adequate infrastructure.