The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Consumer forum remains headless

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Consumer forum remains headless

By V.S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE, MAY 24. The vacant post of the President of Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (CDCRF) for more than six months resulting in a huge backlog of cases has become a cause for concern among consumer activists. The sorry state of affairs holds good in the case of the Nilgiris District Consumer Forum as well.

The consumer bodies are sore that inordinate delay in filling up the vacancies of the post of president or that of two members had resulted in a backlog of cases. It was unfortunate that in most of the districts either the post of members or that of presidents was lying vacant defeating the very objective of consumer courts to protect the interests of consumers, says K. Kathirmathiyon, the Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC). Of the two members and one president, there should be at least one member and one president for the court to have its sittings.

The Government had on several occasions assured the consumer organisations that it would have a panel of members (both for president and members) ready on hand and would appoint the successors as and when the sitting presidents or members retire or relinquish office. The Vice-President of Citizen's Voice Club, C.M. Jeyaraman, said that the non-functioning of the court for the last six months since November 19, 2003 had resulted in cases especially some awaiting redressal for at least 11 months defeating the very objective of the Consumer Protection Act calling for settling grievances within 90 days.

Both the consumer activists said that 460 cases were pending before the court. Eighty-one cases could not be executed for want of the president among which were 28 special trial cases. Similarly, 138 cases filed by affected consumers could not be numbered for the same reason. In the absence of a president for the Nilgiris District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (NDCRF) the President of the CDCRF was holding additional charge.

Even the Consumer Forum in Nilgiris as on date has a backlog of 170 cases, sources said. Pointing out the move of the Government to levy a fee for moving the consumer courts for deficiency in service depending on the amount of money involved would be a retrograde measure affecting the poor.

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