CHENNAI: The announcement of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu seems to have come in the way of filling vacancies in 13 District Consumer Disputes Redressal Fora that have become non-operational due to non-availability of members.

If the Government does not take timely action, another nine fora will also become non-functional because of the retirement of members by next month end, it is pointed out.

Members on Chennai (North), Dindigul/Pudukottai and Salem/Krishnagiri (combined fora in that the president of one forum presides over the neighbouring district forum), Karur, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, the Nilgiris, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Thiruvarur fora retired in January. There are 18 independent fora and six combined fora in the State.

As per the Consumer Protection Act, every proceeding of the district forum should be conducted by the president and at least one member.

A member is appointed by the State Government on the recommendation of a selection committee consisting of the president of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Secretaries of the Law and Consumer Protection departments.

Commission sources and litigant public point out that vacancies affect the expeditious disposal of cases. Also, the commission periodically reviews the performance of all the district fora so that consumer confidence in the grievance redressal agencies is not eroded.

Consumers complain that the fora do not stick to the time limit for deciding cases — three months from the date of receipt of notice by opposite party where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if analysis is needed. In a couple of fora that have become defunct, 500 original petitions (complaints) are pending. Unless the vacancies are filled immediately, the backlog will increase.

The commission sources say that the State Government has already been informed about the existing vacancies and also those that are to arise soon.

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