Telangana, AP consumer fora have vacancies

Issuing a slew of directions, the court, taking note of a large number of vacancies, ordered that all existing vacancies and potential vacancies be advertised within two weeks.

The court also directed the states which have not constituted selection committees to set them up within four weeks from Wednesday.

Reminding the state governments about the “legislative mandate”, the court said the question of consultations with the Centre will arise only if a state government wants to have more than four members as laid down in the law, otherwise there can be no reason to derail the appointment of a chairman and the mandated four members. The court said this while hearing a suo motu matter relating to the appointment of the chairperson, members and the staff of various state and district consumer disputes redressal forums across the country.

The court directed some states that have not notified rules under Section 44 of the Consumer Protection Act to do so within two weeks.

Although there are no vacancies in Andhra Pradesh at the state level, one member post is lying vacant in Telangana.

In Andhra Pradesh, several district consumer forums, including Krishna and Visakhapatnam, have vacancies. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in June 2014, the Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission was constituted on October 16, 2014.

Justice B.N.Rao Nalla was appointed as its first president, who assumed charge on November 9, 2015 and retired from service on June 11, 2018.

Later, Justice M.S.K. Jaiswal, appointed as new president of the commission who assumed charge on June 27, 2018.

At present, the commission has chairman and a member. But one member post is lying vacant.

Among 12 District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums in Telangana, there are 11 vacancies.