History

The Consumer Protection Act 1986 was a byproduct of the political action by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s government to move towards a market-driven economy where ‘consumer was king’, as against the legacy of a socialist economy marked by state control of industry. The Consumer Protection Bill 1986 was prepared by the union ministry for civil supplies, then headed by KPN Singh Deo, and eventually steered in Parliament by Union Minister HKL Bhagat. The day the bill was passed with support from all sides of the aisle in Parliament in December 1986 is celebrated as National Consumer Day in India.