Consumer Protection Act Section 70 — Administrative control
CHAPTER IV CONSUMER DISPUTER REDRESSAL COMMISSION
Civil
Summary
Sub-section (1) gives the National Commission the power to set adequate standards, in consultation with the Central Government, for better protection of consumer interests. For this purpose, it has administrative control over all State Commissions in specific matters.
Under clause (a) of sub-section (1), the National Commission can monitor how State Commissions are performing in disposing of cases by asking for periodic returns about how many cases are filed, disposed of, and still pending.
Under clause (b) of sub-section (1), the National Commission can investigate allegations against the President and members of a State Commission, and submit an inquiry report to the concerned State Government, with a copy sent to the Central Government for necessary action.
Under clause (c) of sub-section (1), the National Commission can issue instructions on adopting a uniform procedure for hearing matters, ensuring that documents produced by one party are served on the opposite parties in advance, providing English translations of judgments written in any language, and speeding up the grant of copies of documents.
Under clause (d) of sub-section (1), the National Commission can oversee the functioning of a State Commission or District Commission through inspection or any other means it may order, to ensure the Act's objectives are served and its standards are implemented, without interfering with their quasi-judicial freedom.
Sub-section (2) states that there shall be a monitoring cell, constituted by the President of the National Commission, to oversee the functioning of State Commissions from an administrative point of view.
Sub-section (3) states that each State Commission has administrative control over all District Commissions within its jurisdiction, in all the matters referred to in sub-section (1).
Sub-section (4) states that the National Commission and the State Commissions must furnish to the Central Government, periodically or as and when required, any information including the pendency of cases, in such form and manner as may be prescribed.
Sub-section (5) states that the State Commission must furnish, periodically or as and when required, to the State Government any information including the pendency of cases, in such form and manner as may be prescribed.
Official Text
(1) The National Commission shall have the authority to lay down such adequate standards in consultation with the Central Government from time to time, for better protection of the interests of consumers and for that purpose, shall have administrative control over all the State Commissions in the following matters, namely:—
(a) monitoring performance of the State Commissions in terms of their disposal by calling for periodical returns regarding the institution, disposal and pendency of cases;
(b) investigating into any allegations against the President and members of a State Commission and submitting inquiry report to the State Government concerned along with copy endorsed to the Central Government for necessary action;
(c) issuance of instructions regarding adoption of uniform procedure in the hearing of matters, prior service of copies of documents produced by one party to the opposite parties, furnishing of english translation of judgments written in any language, speedy grant of copies of documents;
(d) overseeing the functioning of the State Commission or the District Commission either by way of inspection or by any other means, as the National Commission may like to order from time to time, to ensure that the objects and purposes of the Act are best served and the standards set by the National Commission are implemented without interfering with their quasi-judicial freedom.
(2) There shall be a monitoring cell to be constituted by the President of the National Commission to oversee the functioning of the State Commissions from the administrative point of view.
(3) The State Commission shall have administrative control over all the District Commissions within its jurisdiction in all matters referred to in sub-section (1).
(4) The National Commission and the State Commissions shall furnish to the Central Government periodically or as and when required, any information including the pendency of cases in such form and manner as may be prescribed.
(5) The State Commission shall furnish, periodically or as and when required to the State Government any information including pendency of cases in such form and manner as may be prescribed.