Punjab govt fails to appoint district consumer forum heads, members

11 of 20 district forums working without a president

LUDHIANA : Nearly a month since the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had sent a recommendation to appoint heads of various district forums in the state, the government is yet to make a move in this regard. There are 20 district forums in the state, 11 of which are functioning without heads.

The commission made a recommendation for filling two posts of judicial magistrate in the state commission, 11 posts of presidents of the district forums of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Mansa, Gurdaspur, Barnala, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib. Recommendation for a woman member in the district forums of Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Mansa each; and six members, each for forums of Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Moga and Bathinda, were also made.

‘CASES PILING UP IN DISTRICT FORUMS’

At 3,460 cases, the pendency in the district consumer forum,

SAS Nagar, is the highest in the state. Patiala’s forum is second in the list with 2,795 cases. Similarly, Sangrur, Amritsar, Ludhiana

and Patiala have 1,026, 1,575, 1.700, and 2,795 cases pending, respectively.

Advocate Parupkar Ghuman said as per the Consumer Protection Act 2019, a case filed in the district consumer forum should be disposed of within six months, but cases remain pending for much longer duration.

State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission president Justice Paramjeet Singh Dhaliwal said six district forums have presidents of which four will retire by June this year.

“We have made a recommendation to the government for 11 posts of presidents and 10 members of various district consumer forums in the state while for the state commission, the recommendation of two judicial members in December last year. It’s now up to the government when they will make the appointment,” said Justice Dhaliwal.

“We have received the list and are looking into the recommendations. Since its an administrative matter, we can’t reveal when the appointments will be made,” said Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.