854 consumer cases resolved in August, disposal rate hits 2023 high

The National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC), the country’s apex consumer protection body, and the Department of Consumer Affairs successfully resolved 854 consumer cases in August 2023. With the total number of cases filed during the month at 455, the rate of disposal of cases reached 188 per cent, the highest level so far in 2023, according to an official statement. 

“This significant disposal of cases reflects NCDRC’s dedication to providing consumers with a fair and efficient mechanism for addressing their concerns,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said. 

The significant improvement in the rate of disposal of cases underscores NCDRC’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring a prompt redressal of grievances, it said.

The ministry also said that the faster disposal rate is driven by proactive steps by the NCDRC President, streamlined processes, and advanced technologies such as the E-Daakhil portal.
NCDRC launched the E-Daakhil platform in September 2020 to facilitate the offline and online filing of consumer complaints. 

The consumer affairs department has already made the filing of such cases through E-Daakhil mandatory in order to maintain the pace of disposals. It is also working on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) facilities to reduce the pendency of cases at national, state, and district levels.

Established in 1988 under the consumer protection law, the New Delhi-based NCDRC has semi-judicial powers.