HC notice to state over vacant posts in district consumer panels

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has put the Punjab government on notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking direction to fill vacancies of members in the district consumer disputes redressal forums in nine districts.

The notice was issued by the high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Sneh Prashar for March 29 on a petition of Jalandhar resident Vikramjit Shorey, who had submitted before court that there are 10 vacant posts of members of district consumer disputes redressal forums in nine districts. Despite the selection process for these posts have been completed in 2016, these have not been filled.

The court was told that posts of members of the panel are vacant in Hoshiarpur, Bathinda, Faridkot, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Tarn Taran, Mansa, Ludhiana and Patiala districts.

The court was told that the process of appointment of members should be initiated at least three months before the vacancy arises, but the appointment has not been made. Consumers are suffering because of incomplete quorum of district forums, the court was told.