Govt urges states to speed up appointments for vacant posts in consumer commissions

The Union government has called on states to expedite the appointment process for 663 vacant positions in state and district consumer commissions, citing concerns over the growing number of unfilled posts that could undermine the protection of consumer rights, PTI reported.

Nidhi Khare, Secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, highlighted the issue during a review meeting with state government officials on Friday. She expressed deep concern about the increasing vacancies in consumer commissions, a trend that has worsened in recent years.

As of October 2024, official data revealed that 18 posts of President and 56 member positions remain vacant at the state level. At the district level, there are 162 vacant President posts and 427 vacant member positions nationwide, according to a statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Khare stressed the urgency of filling these vacancies to ensure timely and effective resolution of consumer disputes. "It is imperative that these positions are filled as soon as possible to ensure consumer cases are handled efficiently," she said.

The Secretary also referred to Section 32 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which allows for the temporary assignment of additional responsibilities to other District Commissions in order to maintain the continuity of consumer dispute resolution.

State officials acknowledged the critical need to fill these vacancies to prevent delays in hearings and address the growing backlog of cases. The ministry has pledged to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to streamline and ensure transparency in the appointment process.