New Delhi: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution urged the officials of the District and State Consumer Commissions to fill the vacancies in their departments. It was stated at a meeting that was convened here on Friday and officials were told to fill the posts for effective functioning to protect consumer rights and uphold service standards.
According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution, the meeting facilitated an in-depth analysis of vacancy data across the country. As of October, many vacancies remain in the positions of president and member within both District and State Consumer Commissions.
“A total of 18 posts of president and 56 posts of members are lying vacant in the State Commissions. Similarly, 162 posts of president and 427 posts of members are lying vacant in the District Commissions across the country,” the ministry said in a statement.
It was also noticed that the vacancies in Consumer Commissions have increased sizably as compared to previous years despite the best efforts by all. The officials expressed concern about these rising vacancies in the Consumer Commissions and urged the States and Union Territories to act swiftly and address this challenge.
The meeting resulted in a fruitful dialogue with States and Union Territories on the subject. There was a consensus that filling vacancies is essential to avoid delays in hearings and reduce the case backlog, which impacts consumer justice. The Ministry is committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure an efficient, objective and transparent process for filling vacancies in Consumer Commissions. This initiative underscores the ministry’s commitment to strengthening the consumer redressal mechanism, aiming to enhance efficiency across the country, the ministry said.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, the Department of Consumer Affairs, said that it is imperative that vacancies are filled up at the earliest possible to ensure that consumer disputes or cases are handled promptly and efficiently.
Khare emphasised the need to expedite the appointment of qualified candidates to fill vacant positions in Consumer Commissions nationwide. This call to fill up the vacancies follows the government’s commitment to ensuring that consumer grievances are addressed swiftly and effectively.
Khare urged all States/UTs representatives to prioritise filling these roles, noting that the effective functioning of Consumer Commissions is vital for protecting consumer rights and upholding service standards.
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