Consumer protection bill gets Rajya Sabha approval

The bill would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting the unauthorised occupants after a three-day notice.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill for speedy eviction of illegal occupants from government accommodations.

The Rajya Sabha also passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, that seeks to establish authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes. (PTI)

The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 has already been passed by the Lower House of Parliament.

Speaking during a discussion on the bill, housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the amendment being brought in is very limited one and relates to public premises for residential accommodation. It applies to Members of Parliament, government officers and employees.

The bill would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting the unauthorised occupants after a three-day notice.

“We are now introducing the three-day period in order to provide for natural justice so that a show-cause notice is issued,” the minister said.

In addition, the bill has proposed a new clause that says that if the person challenges the eviction order passed by the estate officer in any court, he has to pay the damages for every month for the residential accommodation held by him.

The legislation, which has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha, seeks to strengthen rights of consumers and provides a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services.

Introducing the bill, food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said it is a long pending legislation and except five, all recommendations of a parliamentary standing committee have been included in the bill.

The bill calls for setting up of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and forums at the district, state and national levels for adjudicating consumer complaints and a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce consumer rights as a class.