India's Supreme Court flags massive consumer forum case backlog

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has expressed serious concern regarding the significant backlog of cases within consumer commissions across the country. During a hearing, the Chief Justice noted that prolonged delays undermine the fundamental purpose of these forums, which were established to provide speedy and affordable justice.

The Supreme Court's intervention follows reports of cases remaining pending for years with minimal hearings. In response, the court has demanded a comprehensive report from the President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) within two weeks. This report must detail pending cases, existing vacancies, and disposal rates of individual benches.

Additionally, State Consumer Commissions and State Consumer Affairs Departments have been directed to provide year-wise data on pendency to help identify systemic bottlenecks. The Supreme Court emphasized that both central and state governments must prioritize filling vacancies and strengthening infrastructure to address the workload.