Celebs now liable for products they endorse

The amended consumer forum Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session promises to fight propaganda by ensuring that celebrities who endorses products will be held jointly liable in case of faulty or misleading advertisements.

False advertisements will no longer be dealt lightly and manufacturers would be fined up to `50 lakh and will have to serve a jail term of five years if the Bill becomes a law. Celebrities will also be banned from endorsing products for a year and further offences would lead to a three-year ban.

Advocate Sangeetha Sivan said, “The Bill will definitely be a welcome change. The truth is that although celebrities cannot be held solely responsible, the person who endorses a product does play a role in leading people to buy the product so their part cannot be negated.”

Lawyers expect that this will lead to an upgrade in the facilities in the consumer forum which often witness delays in resolving cases.

In a bid to make the forum more approachable and ensure a friendly process, complaints can now be made online and the examination of parties also be done via videoconference.

Lawyers said that while videos were used for evidence earlier, using the same for complaints will be the first step and will hopefully lead to more voices of consumers.

Advocate Anita Shalabh Jain said, “The truth is that, in the consumer court, an advocate loses autonomy. The consumer can himself fight his case, defend himself and write his argument statement. We do not even get regular fees in such cases. Many consumers come for consultations on how to fight their case alone.”

She added that other courts required technical knowledge which is crucial but it is not the case with consumer cases where lawyers are not mandatory.