The Consumer Affairs Ministry is set to launch a dedicated online portal on Friday, providing consumers with a platform to register complaints about unsatisfactory services. This initiative, overseen by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), aims to address persistent violations of advertising guidelines and hold violators accountable. The portal’s launch coincides with World Consumer Rights Day, observed annually on March 15th.
Currently, consumers face challenges in accessing information about notices and orders issued against misleading advertisers. The new portal seeks to address this by making final judgments against entities involved in misleading advertisements publicly available. This transparency will empower consumers to understand the status of their grievances and take informed action.
The establishment of the CCPA in July 2020 under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, marked a significant step in regulating consumer rights violations, unfair trade practices, and false advertisements. With the introduction of the dedicated portal, consumers will find it easier to file complaints against service providers for deficiencies in services. This streamlined process enhances consumer protection and reinforces their rights.
Ashim Sanyal, CEO of consumer rights group VOICE, emphasizes the importance of the portal in simplifying the complaint registration process for consumers. He highlights that the portal will enable consumers to file grievances seamlessly, eliminating previous challenges in navigating complaint registration procedures.
Legal expert Manish K Shubhay acknowledges the benefits of the dedicated portal, stating that it will increase consumer awareness and facilitate quicker resolution of complaints. By centralizing complaint registration, the CCPA can efficiently investigate individual complaints, potentially leading to mediations and settlements with service providers. This approach reduces the financial burden on individual consumers and enhances consumer empowerment.
Despite the CCPA’s efforts to curb misleading advertisements, violations persist, underscoring the need for stricter enforcement measures. The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 replaced the outdated framework of the Consumer Protection Act of 1986, aligning consumer protection laws with the demands of globalization, technology, and e-commerce.
Looking ahead, the CCPA plans to issue separate guidelines on various consumer protection issues, including surrogate advertisements, pesky calls, and misleading ads by coaching institutes. Additionally, efforts are underway to digitize the dispute redressal mechanism at both national and state levels, with all state consumer dispute redressal commissions (SCDRCs) and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) expected to operate online by March-end.
The launch of the dedicated online portal by the Consumer Affairs Ministry represents a significant step towards enhancing consumer protection in India. By providing consumers with a user-friendly platform to register complaints and access information on violations, the portal empowers consumers and strengthens their ability to assert their rights in the marketplace.