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`Consumer Protection Act needs changes'

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, July 23

THE Consumer Coordination Council (CCC), a national coalition of leading consumer groups, has asked the Government to incorporate various changes in the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2001.

In a memorandum to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs recently, CCC has urged the Government to make changes in the provisions of the proposed Amendment Bill which go against the objective and spirit of the Act.

The Bill will be tabled in the forthcoming session of Parliament. CCC has called for the deletion of the proposed Section 3 of the Bill, which bars consumers from approaching consumer courts if there is an alternative redressal body such as the Railway C laims Tribunal (RCT).

``The proposed Section will run counter to the present and proposed amended definitions of restrictive trade practice and unfair trade practice, since there is already a special law called the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969,'' Ms Ma la Banerjee, Chairperson, CCC, said.

CCC feels that if the proposed changes in the Section 3 is carried out, in case of any disputes between the consumers and the Railways related to fare or refund of fare or any other deficient service, disputes can be dealt only by RCT.

``What we need to remember is that there is only one RCT in each State, whereas consumer forums exist in each district and, therefore, the remedy is available to the consumer at his doorstep,'' she added.

CCC has also demanded inclusion of a definition for `financial services' in the Act. The `financial services' should include issue of capital or securities such as shares, stocks, bonds, debentures and deposits.

The organisation has called for inclusion of a clause ``the consumer shall include any person who suffers loss or injury on account of absence, inadequacy or deficiency of medical services by the State, municipal services and education irrespective of th e fact whether consideration is paid by the consumer or not.''

Further, CCC has asked the Government to incorporate recommendations of the Narender Nath Dey Committee (1995), which suggests settlements of the case with value up to Rs 5,000 with no adjournment appeal and with the presence of advocates for the benefit of the small complaint made by the aggrieved consumer.