Context
Consumer courts, created to provide speedy and inexpensive justice, are increasingly unable to do so due to rising pendency, staff shortages, and procedural delays, weakening consumer confidence in redressal mechanisms.
Core Issues
1. High pendency
• ~5.43 lakh cases pending across consumer commissions (Jan 2024).
2. Backlog accumulation
• 2024: Filings 1.73 lakh > Disposals 1.58 lakh.
• 2025 (till July): Filings 78,031 > Disposals 65,537.
3. Severe vacancies
• State commissions: 18 Presidents, 62 Members vacant.
• District commissions: 218 Presidents, 518 Members vacant.
4. Statutory timelines breached
• Law mandates 3–5 months disposal under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, but cases run for years.
5. Frequent adjournments
• Hearings delayed due to congestion, non-appearance, and incomplete filings.
6. Weak infrastructure
• Shortage of courtrooms, staff, and effective digital case systems.
7. Limited expertise
• Lack of technical members → reliance on expert reports → delays.
