Consumer Complaint Online Procedures in India

Consumer Complaint Online is a new method that is available for filing complaints.  There is no need of rushing here and there for filing a complaint you can do this now with the help of your computer. We all need to buy certain things for our use in daily life. Sometimes things we get in exchange for a monetary amount are not of good quality, defective, or not up to the mark.

There arise many problems in the day-to-day affairs of buying and selling products. To address the issues of consumers and to protect them we felt the need of having consumer law in force.

Who are Consumers and his consumer complaint online?

The consumer act of 2019 is the law of land in India for consumers. Section 2(7) defines the consumer. However, generally, the consumer is defined as a person who use to purchase things in return for a monetary amount.

The consumers have been given some rights by the act, which are as follows –

• Right to safety
• Right to be informed
• Right to choose
• Right to be heard
• Right to seek remedy
• Right to consumer education.

The scope of the consumer’s rights is very wide, the following things are also part of the consumer complaint. These rights are available to each consumer who files his/her consumer complaint online.

• The consumers are given protective rights against the false and inappropriate marking of goods, products, and services which are harmful to the well-being of the life and property of consumers.
• The right to be informed regarding the weight, quality, packaging date, quantity, and purity standards maintained during preparations.
• The right to be assured about the available variety of goods, products, or services which are there for consumers for a competitive price.
• The right to be heard, before the proper forum and appropriate considerations will be given to the interest of the consumer.
• Consumers are given the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and restrictive trade practices.
• Right of being aware of consumer rights.

Consumer complaints can also emerge due to non-compliance with consumer rights. There are some platforms of the service provider or manufacturers which do provide consumer complaint online grievance redressal forums for their clients.

Where Complaints can be filed?

Consumer complaints are filled with the consumer forum, but it is advisable to file legal notice to the concerned defaulter before filing the complaint. Notices are usually given to provide time to revise the wrong committed by the opponent and settle the dispute mutually.

In which forum you can file the case is decided by the amount of misfortune that happened to you. The amount of your complaint decides the pecuniary jurisdiction of the case.

If you are thinking of filing the complaint you need to find the court of appropriate jurisdiction for yourself.  You can also file a consumer complaint online simply.

Jurisdiction of matter-

The jurisdiction is of two kinds Territorial and Pecuniary. The consumer court complaint needs to be filed with the forum which has both the territorial and pecuniary jurisdiction to decide the matter.

Territorial jurisdiction is of territory like a district, state, or nation where one resides or works for gain. Section 11 speaks of district forums and whereas state and national commissions are given under sections 17 and 21.

It is decided by the territorial limits of parties or opposite party or parties in case more than one resides, carries business, or personally work for gain. And somewhere the cause of action arose.

Who can file the complaint or consumer complaint online?

Consumer complaints are filed by the person whose interest in consumer rights is affected. The consumer complaint is a file by the aggrieved person or the consumer himself. The consumer can take the assistance of someone who is affairs of these matters.

Besides consumer, some other who are entitled to file complaints are as follow-

• Voluntary association for consumers
• Central or State government
• When people in the larger group have the same interest.
• If the person dies then his legal heirs can file the case.

The government of wanting to protect the ignorant common masses from being get exploited, therefore consumer complaint in India is filed with special courts. Anyone can file a consumer court online complaint.

Procedure of consumer complaint online

If a consumer gets his/her rights violated he /she can file a complaint. They can file their grievances with the integrated grievance redress mechanism which is designed to meet consumer grievances.  The portal is known as the irda complaint portal.

The portal is launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The reason for launching this portal is to create awareness among the common masses about their rights and responsibilities. The major aim of the portal is to redressal consumer grievances in the simplest and hassle-free manner.

If you are thinking of filing your complaint through this portal you need to first register yourself on the portal. On registration consumer complaint email id is to be created. You can log in through this. The website for consumer complaint online is www.consumerhelpline.gov.in. You need to register once, for this you can visit this link.

Let’s the Procedure in Steps –

• At the top right corner of the website, you will find the option called user login. On linking the option, you will have to enter details like name, gender, email id, password, etc for signing up.
• By using the user ID and password, you can log in to the portal.
• After that you can click on the Grievance Registration Form.
• Now, you need to file the grievance by attaching the necessary documents there and you need to submit the same.
• On the submission of the grievance by using the portal, you will be given the unique docket number and your grievance will be routed to the computer to the appropriate forum for the resolution of the grievance. The actions taken will be get updated in real-time.
• On the submission you can track your grievance by clicking on the track your grievance link.
• The main goal of making consumer complaint online available is to bring all the stakeholders under one canopy such as consumers, central and state governmental agencies and ombudsmen, etc.
• The online portals also help in spreading consumer awareness. It helps the buyer and sellers to understand their rights and responsibilities. The time limit framed for coming to a logical solution is sixty days.

By following these steps anyone can file a consumer court online complaint. Consumer complain in India can be filled through the consumer court helpline number which is toll-free at 1800-11-4000  this number can help you in registering the consumer court complaint online free and get advice and information on various aspects. The mentioned consumer complaint number is the national consumer helpline for consumer complaint online.

Offline Process of Filling Complaint with the Consumer Forum 

• You can file your complaint on simple paper or there is no need for stamp paper.
• Complaint should be drafted by stating the facts that are essential for the cause of action.
• Contents of the complaints will include names and complete details of the opposite parties.
• Date when you purchase the product or avail of the services. Do mention the time of purchase and receipt of the order.
• What kind of problem do you face, describe briefly.
• Copies of all the supporting documents must be attached to the complaint.
• The compensation or whatever alternative remedy you need will be made out clearly on the complaint.
• The statement about jurisdiction must be made clear in the complaint.
• A verification statement must be made clear on the affidavit, stating all the facts and claims made are true and correct.
• The complaint must be filed within a period of two years from the date of rising of the cause of action. The same applies in the case of consumer complaint online.

A Glance at the Consumer Protection Act 2019

The Consumer Protection Act 1986 is revised by the act of 2019 which came into effect on July 20th, by provisions of the new act district consumer dispute redressal forum is now called the district consumer dispute redressal commission.  This is considered a welcome step by the legal elites. The upgrading of the forum to commission in the district itself has increased the benefit of the consumer. This will decrease the caseload in the national consumer disputes redressal commission.

Because now the District commission is entertaining consumer complaints up to one crore. Earlier they can take only up to 20 lakhs. District commissions are also providing the facility for consumer complaint online now.

Whereas the state commission had pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs 20 lakh and one crore and now their limit has been increased to one crore above.

The new act has also Borden the definition of the consumer now it includes online purchases and transactions in its ambit.

The Act also established a new regularity body which is known as Central Consumer Protection Authority. This authority has the investigation wing which is headed by the director general. Made to investigate unfair trade practices and violations of consumer rights.

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