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The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stepped in to address concerns over vacancies in the state and district consumer disputes redressal commissions. This move comes in response to a plea from the Tricity Consumer Court Bar Association, which urged the UT administration to fill these vacant positions.

Extension of members' tenure:

During the hearing, it was revealed that several key positions were either vacant or due for retirement. Specifically, one post was already vacant, one state commission member was set to retire on September 20, and a district panel member would retire on September 24. Moreover, the presiding member of the state commission was due to retire on January 12, 2024, with two district commission members also retiring later this year.

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The current Commission setup:

Chandigarh currently comprises one state commission and two district panels. The state commission has a sanctioned strength of three members, while the district panels have a sanctioned strength of four members each.
In light of these circumstances and the potential standstill in the functioning of all three panels, the court issued a directive. It allowed Rajesh K Arya, a member of the state panel, and Brij Mohan Sharma, a member of the district panel, to continue their work until the next hearing. This interim measure aims to ensure that essential consumer dispute resolution services can continue.

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UT's response:

The UT administration informed the court that steps were being taken to fill these vacant positions and requested two weeks to respond to the plea comprehensively.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 11 and has requested a status report from the UT regarding efforts to fill existing vacancies and anticipated future openings. Meanwhile, the two members who were set to retire this month will continue their roles until the next hearing date. This action is expected to prevent disruptions in the functioning of consumer dispute resolution panels.