A seminar on the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 organised here on Saturday highlighted the upsides and downsides of the provisions of the Bill.
The seminar was organised by the Ernakulam Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. Presiding over the function, Cherian P. Kuriakose, the president of the forum, said though consumers would be benefited by the new Bill, it had certain drawbacks. He said the Bill allowed an aggrieved consumer to appear and argue cases involving value of less than Rs.2 lakh. He said barring lawyers from appearing on behalf of a consumer would not be practical as big companies would engage officers with legal background in fighting such complaints.
e-commerce
The Bill protected online consumers as e-commerce had been brought under its ambit. Misleading advertisements and unfair contract had also been brought into the ambit of the Bill. The most advantageous provision in the Bill was that consumers would be allowed to file complaints before the forum in the places where they reside, instead of at the place from where the goods or services were obtained. Another upside of the Bill was that the aggrieved consumer could approach the forums or commission over the Internet using emails. But, the Bill did not have provisions for dealing with those who sold adulterated food or articles.
D.B. Binu, consumer and RTI activist, said the Bill brought back certain rights included in the original law, but restricted by the Supreme Court and High Court subsequently. The provision for filing of complaints online and from the place where the consumers stayed would benefit them.
