Process of filling up vacancies in consumer forums on, Delhi govt tells HC

New Delhi, Sep 2: The Delhi High Court was Friday informed by the Delhi government that out of 30 sanctioned posts in district consumer forums, 26 have been filled up and the process for others is going on.

A bench of Chief Justice S C Sharma and Justice S Prasad granted time to the state to cure all the defects, fill up the vacancies, and provide all facilities to judicial officers, litigants, and lawyers in consumer courts. After taking the Delhi government's status report on record, the high court listed the matter for further hearing on January 27, next year, with a direction to file a fresh status report with the developments.

The high court was informed by the government that out of 30 sanctioned posts in district consumer forums here, including President and members, 26 have been filled up and interviews for the remaining four are going on. Regarding the sanctioned strength of support staff of the consumer forums, the high court was informed that out of 111 sanctioned posts, 106 have been filled up and the process for the remaining ones is going on.

The counsel for the Delhi government sought four months to fill up the vacancies and provide facilities in the consumer forums. The high court was hearing public interest litigation highlighting the poor state of the consumer courts established under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 in Delhi.

Petitioner Sangam Singh Kochar pointed out that there were several vacancies in the consumer forums, inadequate staff and there was a lack of infrastructures such as drinking water, toilets, and even space for the consumer courts and their officers. The high court had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the status report filed by the Delhi government.

It had directed the authorities to file a better status report giving the particulars concerning each consumer forum district-wise. The particulars that the respondents should provide should include the number of sanctioned posts of the members of the consumer forums, the number of actual incumbents as of date, the sanctioned strength of support staff of each of the consumer forums, and the actual strength thereof, it had said.

It also sought to know whether drinking water and toilets facilities were provided for both men and women at such consumer forums, whether there were any facilities provided for holding the virtual hearing at such consumer forums, and the telephone connections, if any, provided in the consumer forums for access by the public and whether the said telephone connections were actively working or not.