Dispose off cases in consumer court: HC

Bombay HC has asked to dispose off cases atleast upto the year 1999 by February 14, 2007, reports Urvi Jappi.

Displeased by the high number of cases pending in the consumer courts in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharastra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to dispose off cases atleast upto the year 1999 by February 14, 2007.

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A division bench of Justice RM Lodha and Justice SA Bobade on Wednesday directed the chairman of the state commission to submit a compliance report by February 20.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Consumer Court Advocates’ Association which raised the issue of lack of infrastructure and facilities in consumer courts. But the bench instead lashed out at the huge number of pending cases in these courts, and sought a report on pendency.

The Consumer Guidance Society, who intervened, brought to the notice of the court that the consumer courts were sitting through out the day as per the guidelines laid down by National Consumer Redressal Forum.

Ashok Shetty, counsel for the petitioners informed the court there were more than 15,000 cases pending, some of which are dating back to 1992.

Keeping aside the recommendation of having more benches of the consumer court, Justice Lodha remarked that just infrastructure and more benches will not serve the purpose until people associated with the consumer court work properly.