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How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint

March 2, 2020

 

To provide simple, speedy and inexpensive Redressal of Consumer Disputes, the Consumer Protection Act 1986, envisages a 3-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the National, State and District levels.

 

 

Jurisdiction:

If the claim made by the complainant is:

  1. National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, known as National Commission, in New Delhi, deals with complaints involving costs and compensation higher than Rs. One Crore.
  2. State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, known as State Commission, deals with complaints involving costs and compensation higher than Rs. Twenty Lakh and less than Rs. One Crore.
  3. District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, known as District Forum, deals with complaints involving costs and compensation less than Rs. Twenty Lakh.

 

 

Prescribed Fees: Following is the ‘prescribed fee’ payable for filing a Complaint to the Commission:

Upto 1 lakh – Rs.100/-
1 lakh-5 lakhs – Rs.200/-
5 lakhs-10 lakhs – Rs.400/-
10 lakhs-20 lakhs – Rs.500/-

You can pay this by Demand Draft in favour of “President, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, (give the name concerned State).”

 

 

Procedure/ Requirements

  • The complainant can present the complaint in person or by his / her authorized representative to the appropriate Commission.
  • A minimum of 5 copies of the complaint have to be filed.  This includes three copies for the Forum [in green (Court/Legal) paper], one for the Office of the Forum and one for the opposite party. Do remember to keep one copy for yourself.
  • The complaint should be signed by the complainant.  If you are authorizing someone to represent you, give him / her a signed authorisation letter.
  • Consumers can file different types of complaints depending on their specific grievance by visiting the Consumer Court at the District, State or National level along with the documents required for filing the complaint.

 

 

Following is a list of documents that the prospective complainants need to carry with them to the Consumer Court at the time of filing the complaint:

 

Cases at District Forums

  • Consumer Case (CC)
    • Fee for making complainant,if required (in the name of the Registrar, of the concerned District Forum)
    • Complaint with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of the complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc.
    • Limitations, if any (2 years from cause of action)
    • Index

 

  • Miscellaneous Application (MA)
    • Miscellaneous application with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of MA
    • Index

 

  • Criminal Petition (CP)
    • Index

 

  • Interlocutory Application (IA)
    • Complaint with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of the complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc.
    • Limitations, if any(2 years from cause of action)
    • Fee for making complaint
    • Index

 

  • Execution Application (EA)
    • Execution Application with affidavit
    • Certified copy of impugned order(s)
    • Limitations, if any
    • Index

 

 

Cases at State Disputes Redressal Commissions

  • Consumer Case (CC)
    • Fee for making complainant,if required (in the name of the Registrar, of the concerned State Consumer Redressal Commission)
    • Complaint with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of the complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc.
    • Limitations, if any (2 years from cause of action)
    • Index

 

  • Miscellaneous Application (MA)
    • Miscellaneous application with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of ma
    • Index

 

  • Criminal Petition (CP)
    • Index

 

  • Interlocutory Application (IA)
    • Complaint with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of the complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc.
    • Limitations, if any(2 years from cause of action)
    • Fee for making complaint
    • Index

 

  • Revision Petition (RP)
    • Stay application with affidavit,if required
    • Certified copy of order of State Commission
    • Revision Petition with affidavit
    • Copy of order of district forum
    • Limitations, if any(within 90 days of the receipt of the order )
    • Supporting documents in favour of the RP
    • Index
  • Transfer Application (TA)
    • Transfer application with affidavit
    • Index

 

  • Execution Application (EA)
    • Execution application with affidavit
    • Certified copy of impugned order(s)
    • Limitations, if any
    • Index

 

  • Review Application (RA)
    • Certified copy of order of National Commission
    • Application for review with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of Review Application
    • Limitations, if any(within 30 days of the receipt of the order )
    • Index

 

  • First Appeal (FA)
    • Memo of appeal with affidavit
    • Stay application with affidavit,if required
    • Certified copy of order of state commission
    • Bank drafts(in the name of the Registrar,NCDRC,New Delhi)
    • Limitations, if any(within 30 days of the receipt of the order )
    • Any other documents required
    • Miscellaneous application with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of ma
    • Index

 

  • Caveat Cases (CV)
    • Application
    • Copy of order of district forum

 

  • Criminal Appeal (CA)
    • Memo of appeal with affidavit
    • Certified copy of order of District Forum
    • Stay application with affidavit,if required
    • Any other documents required
    • Limitations, if any
    • FDR, if required
    • Index

 

 

Cases at National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC)

  • Consumer Case (CC)
    • Fee for making complainant,if required(in the name of the Registrar, NCDRC, New Delhi)
    • Index
    • Complaint with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of the complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc.
    • Limitations, if any (2 years from cause of action)

 

  • Miscellaneous Application (MA)
    • Miscellaneous application with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of MA
    • Index

 

  • Revision Petition (RP)
    • Stay Application with affidavit,if required
    • Certified copy of order of state commission
    • Revision Petition with affidavit
    • Copy of order of district forum
    • Limitations, if any(within 90 days of the receipt of the order )
    • Supporting documents in favour of RP
    • Index

 

  • Transfer Application (TA)
    • Transfer Application with affidavit
    • Index

 

  • Execution Application (EA)
    • Index
    • Execution Application with affidavit
    • Certified copy of impugned order(s)
    • Limitations, if any

 

  • Review Application (RA)
    • Certified copy of order of National Commission
    • Application for review with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of review application
    • Limitations, if any(within 30 days of the receipt of the order )
    • Index

 

  • First Appeal (FA)
    • Memo of appeal with affidavit
    • Stay application with affidavit,if required
    • Certified copy of order of state commission
    • Bank drafts(in the name of the Registrar, NCDRC, New Delhi)
    • Limitations, if any(within 30 days of the receipt of the order)
    • Index
    • Any other documents required
    • Miscellaneous application with affidavit
    • Supporting documents in favour of MA

 

  • Caveat Cases (CV)
    • Application
    • Copy of order of District Forum

 

To view the Model Formats for a Consumer Complaint Click here.

 

 

Source: This information was obtained from http://confonet.nic.in/

 

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