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CP (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2002 COMES INTO FORCE ON MARCH 15, , seaumer Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 will come into force on March 15, 2008 coinciding, e Consimmig Consumer Rights Day. Enacted ori 1986, the Consumer Protection Act was, wthtie 71991 and 1995 to make it more consumer friendly. The amended Act contains ample, amended large public interest making it more effective and purposeful. The provisions ofthe Act, visio ating quicker disposal of complaints, enhancing the capability of redressal agencies,, aim at ening them with more powers, streamlining the procedures and widening the scope of the Act to, a ‘more functional and effective,, , , , , , ised for commercial purposes are excluded from the preview of consumer courts enabling them, , Services U Teen eee, Set pneentrate on providing relief to individual consumers., ‘A number of provisions have been included for quicker disposal of complaints by consumer courts, The, , , , rovides for creation of benches and appointment of additional members in the Nat, te Commission and holding of circuit benches. Time frame has been prescribed for admission of, complaints, issue of notices and disposal of complaints. Pecuniary limits of cases to be handled by, Consumer courts at different levels have been revised whereby the limit for District Forum has been raised, from Rs. Five lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs, State Commission from Rs. 20 lakhs to Rs one crore and National, , Commission from above Rs. 20 lakhs to above Rs, one crore., Za, , Act pt, and Sta, , Procedure for selection of Members of the State Commission and President and Members of District, Forum has been streamlined to facilitate uninterrupted selection and filling up of the vacancies promptly, whenever the need arises by making the sitting judge of the High Court to preside over the Selection, Committee when State Commission President is absent. Provision has also been made to empower the, senior most member to perform as President in the absence of the regular president of the National, ‘Commission, State Commission and District Forum for the smooth functioning of these forums., , , , In order to make Consumer Courts more capable, minimum qualifications have been prescribed for, members, Provision for reappointment for President and members has also been incorporated in the Act., For widening the scope of the Act, sale of spurious goods/services is included in unfair trade practice, besides widening the concept of unsafe goods and extending it to services. Provision is made for making,, complaints against service providers indulging in unfair/restrictive trade practice, in the amended Act., , ‘The Act further provides for consumer courts to have powers of First Class Judicial Magistrate to punish, those not obeying the orders of the court. Compensation amount ordered by the court can now be, recovered through certificate case as arrears of land revenue, According to the Act, consumer courts can, issue interim orders giving the complainant immediate relief in deserving cases,, , , , , , In order to streamline the procedure, the amended Act provides for legal heir being substituted if, Complainant/opposite party dies, , , , The Act provides for establishing a Consumer Protection Council at district level and also make it a, , Recessary requirement for Government to establish District, State and Central level Councils. Besides,, , provision has been made to enable nomination of upto 10 official or non-official members to the State, uncils by the Central Government,, , , , , , Th : ; ae, ‘ee Consumer Protection Act, 2002 is expected to greatly facilitate the working ofthe eonsumer disputes, {ssa agencies in the country and help in achieving speedy setlement of consumer disputes and., , then consumer movement at grass root level.