E-Paper
Work of consumer disputes redressal commission affected due to staff shortage
Commission members from different districts are called to Mumbai for hearing purposes for a period of fifteen days. The position of understaffing is the same at the Nagpur and Aurangabad bench of the commission
The state consumer disputes redressal commission is facing a series of challenges in its functioning in absence of vacancies for the post of commission presidents in fourteen districts of the state. In Mumbai, five posts of commission members are vacant, while the post of registrar in Pune is still vacant.
As the ten year period of appointment has come to an end, there are posts of commission presidents vacant in fourteen different districts of Maharashtra. Commission members from different districts are called to Mumbai for hearing purposes for a period of fifteen days. The position of understaffing is the same at the Nagpur and Aurangabad bench of the commission.
In the state, president post for Pune district , South Mumbai (additional post), Central Mumbai, Satara, Kolkata, Nashik , Nandurbar, Dhule, Aurangabad, Jalna, Akola, Buldhana, Parbhani and Nanded (additional post) are vacant.
The term of the appointment of president and members of the commission ended in February 2023 and they were appointed in 2013. The apex court had extended the interim period of appointment to the said posts till March 1. However, since March 2, all the said posts are vacant. However, temporarily the affairs of the commission across the state are being run based on the officiating presidents.
Reacting on the shortage of commission members and presidents in the state Adv. Gnanraj Sant, vice president, Consumer Advocates Association said, “The appointment process should be initiated as per the order of the Supreme Court so that the complaints in the consumer commission do not remain pending. Till a new president is appointed, the work should be handed over to other district presidents or additional presidents. Therefore, the hearing of the commission will not be stopped. Also, the complaints for the final decision should be settled. The state government needs to pay attention to the appointments. Consumers will get justice if the work continues on time.”
