Srinagar, Jul 22 (KNO): The Government of India informed the Lok Sabha that the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions have been established in the Union Territory of Ladakh, adding that one member has been appointed to the Leh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the responsibility for filling vacancies of Presidents and Members in the State and District Consumer Commissions rests with the respective State Governments.
The ministry said that as per the Consumer Protection (Qualification for Appointment, Method of Recruitment, Procedure of Appointment, Term of Office, Resignation and Removal of the President and Members of the State Commission and District Commission) Rules, 2020, the process for appointments should be initiated by the State Government at least six months before a vacancy arises.
The government further informed Parliament that Section 32 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 empowers the State Government, in case of a vacancy in the office of the President or Member of a District Commission, to authorise another District Commission or its President or Member to exercise jurisdiction and discharge the functions until the vacancy is filled.
"Consumers in Ladakh and across the country can continue to register complaints through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which offers grievance registration in 17 languages, including Kashmiri, through the toll-free number 1915, WhatsApp, SMS, email, the INGRAM portal, the NCH mobile application, the web portal and the UMANG app," it said.
The government further said that the e-Jagriti portal, launched on January 1, 2025, integrates Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to provide online complaint filing, digital document submission, online fee payment and virtual court hearings, enabling faster and more transparent consumer grievance redressal—(KNO)