Introduction
Consumer protection is the practice of securing buyers of goods and services, and the public, against illegal practices in the business. Consumer protection measures are frequently established by law. Similar laws are intended to assist businesses from engaging in fraud or specified illegal practices so as to realize a plus over challengers or to mislead consumers. They may also give fresh protection for the general public which may be impacted by a product (or its product) indeed when they aren't the direct purchaser or consumer of that product. For example, government regulations may cause businesses to expose detailed information about their products — particularly in areas where public health or safety is an issue, similar as with food or motorcars.
Consumer protection is linked to the idea of consumer rights and to the confirmation of consumer associations, which help consumers make better choices in the business and pursue complaints against businesses. Realities that promote consumer protection include government associations ( similar to the Federal Trade Commission in the United States), tone-regulating business associations ( similar as the Better Business Divisions in the US, Canada, England, etc.), and non-governmental associations that endorse consumer protection laws and help to ensure their enforcement ( similar as consumer protection agencies and watchdog groups).
Consumer Protection Act 2019
The Consumer Protection Act safeguards the consumers and encourages the consumers to speak up against the insufficiency and about the flaws in the goods and services. This Act provides easy and fast compensation to the consumers' grievances. If the traders and the manufacturers involved in the buying transaction practices any illegal trade in this matter then this act protects all the rights as a consumer.
What is The Consumer Protect Act?
The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on the 8th July 2019 by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, in regards to the Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on 30th July in the year 2019 and this was later passed in the Rajya Sabha on the 6th of August in the year 2019.
The consumer protection bill received its assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on the 9th of August, after which it got notified in the Gazette of India on the same 9th of August itself. The Act came into effect by 20th July of 2020, after which certain other provisions of the Act were established like the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) came into this effect from 24th of July in the year 2020.
The features of the Consumer Protection Act focus on providing the customer more power by taking care of them and providing all the transparencies. While, a recent addition in the year 2020 in the month of September, the government declared a new draft which is known as ‘advertising code’ this gives the customer all kinds of protection against the false advertisements, moreover this code protects the customer from the celebrities or idol figures who try to fool the customers by doing all these paid promotions of their products and services.
Consumer Rights in India
Right to Safety:
Right to Safety means getting protected against the marketing of goods and services that are hazardous to the life and property of an individual. The purchased goods and services which are availed should not only meet their immediate needs but also meet their long-term needs as well. Also, consumers must be made aware of the ISI and AGMARK, etc.
Right to Choose:
The right to choose means the right to be assured of the product they are buying. Right to Choose means the consumers are at full freedom to know about the competitive prices existing in the market and then buy the best product. This right is mostly exercised in a competitive market structure.
Right to be Informed:
The right to be informed means the consumers must be made aware of the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard, and price of the goods. This will act as knowledgeable protection of the customers against unfair trade practices. The consumers must avail their right of knowing all the details of the product and thus insist on getting all the information about the product or service before making a choice or a decision of their own.
Right to Consumer Education:
This right means that they must acquire the knowledge and the skill to be an informed consumer throughout their life. Ignorance of knowing any product by the consumers, particularly the rural consumers, acts as the main reason for their exploitation. They should accurately know about their rights and must exercise them wisely.
Right to be Heard:
Right to be heard means that the consumer's interests must be heard properly. Their problem must receive all the due consideration at the right forums. The right to be heard also includes the right to be represented in the various forums which are formed to consider the consumer's welfare. The Consumers should form the non-political and non-commercial consumers organizations, this can be given exact representation in these various committees which are formed by the Government and by other bodies in all the matters which are relating to the consumers.
Right to Seek Redressal:
This means the right to seek redressal against any unfair trade practices or by the unscrupulous exploitation of the consumers. This Right also includes the right to fairly settle for the genuine grievances which are submitted by the consumers. Consumers should also take the responsibility of making genuine complaints about their real grievances. The consumers can also take the help of other consumer organizations in seeking redressal for their grievances.
Central Consumer Protection Authority
CCPA or Central Consumer Protection Authority, unlike other Councils. This is a type of commissioned body that is neither purely regulatory, advisory nor it is a policy-making body, this body is entirely adjudicatory and quasi-judicial in nature. The structure of the CCPA is also based on a central structure and besides this even provides for the creation of the regional offices, the Act itself does not mandate the creation of any State or any District Authorities on its own. The CCPA also comprises the Chief Commissioner, Commissioners, and a whole team of subject matter experts and professional bodies. Besides this, there also consists of an investigation wing that is being headed by a Director-General.
Central Consumer Protection Council
Under Consumer Protection Act, the Central Government gets to establish a Central Consumer Protection Authority that consists of the Minister in charge of the consumer affairs in the Central Government who is the Chairman and a such number of other official and non-official members, those who are representing other such interests as may be prescribed from time to time.
Under the Consumer Protection Council India, Consumer Protection Rules 1987. The membership of this Council is an accommodation to 150 members, the number includes the Central Minister in charge of the Consumer Affairs who acts as the Chairman. The term of this Council is a span of three years.
The council was formed in order to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Council, the Central Government which may constitute a standing working group from among the members of the council which comes under the Chairmanship of the Member Secretary of the Council.
The Council will conduct their meeting as and when it deems fit, but at least one meeting is to be conducted of the Council which shall be held at such time and place as the Chairman may think best.
Did You Know?
Under the shed of the Consumer Protection Act, customers remain protected from hazardous goods.
It is the right of a customer to know all the information regarding the product.
Consumer Education is given under Consumer Protection.
A consumer can also demand a healthy environment under this Act.
If you are a customer, then you can file your complaint from anywhere!
A customer can also seek a hearing with video conferencing mode too.
A customer also knows the reason for the rejection of his complaint.
Thus, we see that the consumer protection council under the consumer law in India is an exact forum where the aggrieved customers can file their grievances and seek justice. This is indeed a relief to the customers, as without this facility they were easily exploited at the hands of the sellers. Also, with the establishment of this Act, all the sellers are cautious before they deliver any type of goods or services to the customers.
Apart from this, the consumer protection Act 2019 pdf is attached below this content; students are advised for an in-depth study from the same.
FAQs on Consumer Protection: Rights, Responsibilities, and Legislation
1. What is the significance of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for a student of Commerce?
For a Commerce student, understanding the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is crucial as it forms the legal framework for business conduct and customer relations. Its key significance lies in:
- Protecting against Malpractices: It safeguards consumers from unfair trade practices like adulteration, false advertising, and black marketing.
- Establishing Rights: It statutorily defines consumer rights, such as the Right to Safety and the Right to be Informed.
- Providing Redressal: It sets up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery for simple, speedy, and inexpensive settlement of consumer disputes.
- Promoting Awareness: It educates consumers about their rights and responsibilities, empowering them to make informed choices.
2. Explain any four key rights of a consumer as guaranteed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. This is a frequently asked question in board exams.
As per the CBSE curriculum for 2025-26, four important consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 are:
- Right to Safety: The right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property. For example, ensuring electrical appliances have ISI marks.
- Right to be Informed: The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, purity, standard, and price of goods or services to protect against unfair trade practices. This includes reading labels for MRP, expiry date, and ingredients.
- Right to Choose: The right to be assured, wherever possible, access to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices. In a free market, no seller can force a consumer to buy a specific brand.
- Right to Seek Redressal: The right to seek settlement of genuine grievances against unfair trade practices or exploitation. This includes compensation, replacement of the product, or repair of defects.
3. What are the key responsibilities a consumer must exercise to avoid exploitation?
While the Consumer Protection Act provides rights, a consumer also has responsibilities to protect their own interests. Some key responsibilities are:
- Be Quality Conscious: Always look for quality certification marks like ISI for electrical goods, FPO for processed fruit products, and Hallmark for jewellery.
- Insist on a Cash Memo: Always ask for a bill or cash memo as it serves as proof of purchase, which is essential for filing a complaint.
- Read Labels Carefully: Scrutinise information about price, net weight, manufacturing, and expiry dates before making a purchase.
- File a Complaint for Genuine Grievances: Do not hesitate to approach the appropriate consumer forum for redressal of genuine complaints, but avoid filing false or frivolous ones.
- Be Aware of Your Rights: An aware consumer cannot be easily cheated. It is their responsibility to know the rights conferred by the Act.
4. How does the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) established under the CPA 2019 offer more power to consumers compared to previous bodies?
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is a significant upgrade from the earlier advisory councils. It empowers consumers by acting as an executive and regulatory body with powers to:
- Conduct Investigations: It can investigate violations of consumer rights and unfair trade practices, either on its own initiative (suo motu) or based on a complaint.
- Issue Orders: The CCPA can order the recall of unsafe goods, discontinuation of unfair practices, and reimbursement of the price paid by consumers.
- Impose Penalties: It has the authority to impose heavy penalties on manufacturers and endorsers for misleading advertisements.
- File Class Action Suits: It can file complaints before the District, State, or National Commissions on behalf of a group of affected consumers.
This makes the CCPA a proactive authority, unlike the older councils which were primarily advisory in nature.
5. A customer bought a branded air conditioner but it stopped cooling effectively within two months. The company is not responding to their complaints. Explain the redressal process they can follow under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
This is an application-based problem. The customer has the Right to Seek Redressal. As per the 2025-26 CBSE syllabus, they should follow the three-tier redressal mechanism:
- Determine Jurisdiction: First, they must check the value of the air conditioner (goods) and the compensation claimed.
- File a Complaint: Based on the value, they can file a complaint with the appropriate commission:
- District Commission: If the value of goods and compensation claimed is up to ₹50 lakhs.
- State Commission: If the claim is between ₹50 lakhs and ₹2 crores.
- National Commission: If the claim exceeds ₹2 crores.
- Seek Relief: The customer can ask the commission for relief, which could be a refund of the price, replacement of the AC, compensation for mental agony, and litigation costs. The complaint can be filed in the commission within whose jurisdiction the seller resides or the cause of action arose.
6. Why was it considered necessary to specifically include e-commerce under the purview of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?
The inclusion of e-commerce was a critical update to modernise consumer law, replacing the 1986 Act. The primary reasons were:
- Rise of Online Transactions: The old act did not have specific provisions to handle the massive growth in online shopping and the unique issues that arise from it.
- New Forms of Unfair Practices: Problems like non-delivery of products, delivery of defective items, lack of seller information, and complex return policies became common.
- Jurisdictional Ambiguity: The 2019 Act clarifies that a consumer can file a complaint from where they reside, which is crucial for online transactions where the seller could be anywhere in the country.
- Tackling Misleading Information: The Act holds e-commerce platforms accountable for the information displayed and the authenticity of sellers on their site.
This ensures that consumers are protected in the digital marketplace just as they are in physical stores.
7. 'A consumer has the Right to be Heard, but it is the Right to Seek Redressal that provides justice.' Discuss the validity of this statement for a 3-mark question.
This statement is valid and highlights the relationship between two distinct but connected rights.
- The Right to be Heard ensures that a consumer's complaint or interest will receive due consideration at an appropriate forum. It guarantees that their voice will not be suppressed.
- However, merely being heard is not enough. The Right to Seek Redressal is the practical enforcement of this voice. It is the right that allows the consumer to get actual relief, such as a refund, replacement, or compensation for their grievance.
Therefore, the Right to be Heard is the procedural first step, while the Right to Seek Redressal is the substantive outcome that delivers justice.
