50,258 Real Estate Cases Pending in Consumer Courts: Govt Data

New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Over 50,000 cases related to real estate are pending in consumer courts, according to the government data.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs B L Verma informed about the details of cases pending in consumer commissions relating to real estate.

As per the data, there have been 2,44,813 cases filed in consumer courts at national, state and district levels. Out of that 1,94,555 cases have been disposed and 50,258 cases are pending as on July 31, 2024.

"The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for three tier quasi-judicial machinery at district, state and central levels commonly known as 'Consumer Commissions' for protection of the rights of consumers and to provide simple and speedy redressal of consumer disputes," Verma said.

The Act provides for simplification of the adjudication process in the consumer commissions; filing of a complaint by a consumer in the consumer commission; virtual hearing; deemed admissibility of complaints if admissibility is not decided within 21 days of filing.

"Section 38(7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 prescribes that every complaint shall be disposed of as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made to decide the complaint within a period of three months from the date of receipt of notice by opposite party where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if it requires analysis or testing of commodities," he said.

The e-Daakhil portal has been launched in 35 states/UTs to provide facility to aggrieved consumers to register online consumer complaints in different consumer commissions from anywhere in India, the minister said.