Consumer body to move SC, wants model rules to be implemented

AJMER: Rajasthan Consumer Members’ Association has decided to move Supreme Court against the state government’s failure to implement the model rules in the state, as directed by the apex court in 2016.
“Already, states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab have implemented the model rules. Rajasthan government has taken up the matter but has not yet implemented it,” said Naveen Kumar, representative of association and member of Ajmer district consumer forum.
The Supreme Court in 2016, directed to create a uniform structure of state and district consumer commissions and forums in the country and passed the model rules to be implemented for better protection of consumers. The SC through model rules, directed to appoint members of state and district consumer outfits through Public Service Commissions through two written papers of general knowledge and writing a descriptive essay on the issue of consumer law, trade commerce or research on public affairs and consumer law, followed by interview. It was expected that members of consumer forum should know the basics of consumer law and the process. However, the model rules have not been implemented in Rajasthan as yet.
He said that at present, members of district forum are appointed by the state government politically. Every district in Rajasthan is having district consumer forum and appointment of members are made politically. “They do not know what actually the consumer law is and what is the process, even though they are running the courts,” added Kumar. According to the model rules given by the Supreme Court, there should be an exam, and the candidates who come out meritorious in it, should be members of district and state consumer forums.
Rajasthan Consumer Members’ Association said that the second issue of model rules is to provide pay scale and other benefits to members of district consumer forums. “At present, members of district consumer forums are getting Rs 20,000 as allowance and Rs 2,000 as travel allowance, which is not enough, as these members are working full-time for the consumer forum,” added Kumar.
He added that under the model rules, the tenure of a member will also be five years.