Mokokchung, July 17 (MTNews): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) has submitted a representation to Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on July 15 to immediately implement the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and provide proper office, court room or building to run Nagaland State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in the state.
NVCO in the representation said that, originally, it was the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 enacted to provide for better protection of the interests of consumers and for the purpose of making provision for establishment of consumer protection councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumer disputes, etc. It said that the State Government had notified the Rules accordingly in implementing the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. “However, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was repealed and re-enacted and is now called The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which extends to the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” NVCO pointed out.
NVCO President, Kezhokhoto Savi said that the president of the National Commission, New Delhi (National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) is very likely going to officially visit the State, particularly the state capital Kohima, in the month of August 2022 to see whether the State Commission as well as the district level commission/forums are functioning as per the prevailing act.
NVCO said that it would be very embarrassing for the State Government to present the position at this juncture when Nagaland State Consumer Disputes Commission is functioning in a government Guest House without a single room of office.
It said that since inception, the State Government has been neglecting this institute whereby in the past, the State Government even failed to pay remuneration to a president and faces an embarrassing situation to pay as per the direction of the High Court. “The status of the President of the State Commission is equivalent to a sitting Judge of a High Court and denying entitled facilities amounts to terribly failing to honour the dignity of the State Commission in the state,” it said.
NVCO president Savi further stated that consumer markets for goods and services have undergone drastic transformation since enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and that the modern marketplace contains a plethora of products and services.
The NVCO President stated that the emergence of global supply chains, rise in international trade and the rapid development of e-commerce have led to new delivery systems for goods and services and have provided new options and opportunities for consumers.
“Equally, this has rendered the consumer vulnerable to new forms of unfair trade and unethical business practices,” he said, posing new challenges to consumer protection and “will require appropriate and swift executive interventions to prevent consumer detriment.”
“Therefore, it has become inevitable to amend the Act to address the myriad and constantly emerging vulnerabilities of the consumers. In view of this, it is proposed to repeal and re-enact the Act,” NVCO said.