Bombay HC directs state to fill vacancies in consumer forum
7 Aug, 2012
On the basis of data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court pointing out various vacancies in the district consumer protection forum and seeking the intervention of the court. 19 district consumer protection forums in the state of Maharashtra are non-functional owing to vacancies in the post of 12 presidents and 33 members. The Maharashtra state government has given an assurance to the Bombay High Court that all vacant posts in district consumer forums are in the process of being filled up and the process would be done at the earliest. The court has asked the government pleader to provide a specific time period by when the entire process of appointments would be completed.
The State Consumer Protection Council was established in Maharashtra in 2003 but has not met since then. Further, the District Consumer Protection Council hasn’t been formed either. The situation in the other states is not too different.