A defective product, a refund that never came, an insurance claim rejected on a technicality, money lost to a bank fraud, a hospital that got it wrong: consumer law exists so that ordinary buyers can hold sellers and service providers to account without spending a fortune. This guide explains, in plain words, who counts as a consumer, which commission to approach, how to draft and file a strong complaint, what you can claim, and how cases against insurers, banks, hospitals, builders and online stores usually go. When you are ready, describe your matter in the form and an enrolled advocate who handles consumer cases can call you. It is free for clients.
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Consumer commissions were designed so that ordinary people could get justice without a lawyer. Thousands of complainants every year draft their own complaints, file them online and argue their own cases, and many succeed. So the honest first answer is that you may not need an advocate at all, especially for a simple refund or a defective appliance.
The picture changes as the stakes and complexity rise. An insurance claim rejected for "non-disclosure", a medical negligence case that turns on expert evidence, a builder who has delayed a flat by years, a bank refusing to reverse a fraudulent transaction, a complaint where the other side is a large company with its own legal team: in these matters, the way the complaint is framed, the evidence assembled and the arguments made at hearings often decide the outcome. That is where a consumer lawyer earns their fee.
Deciding whether you are a "consumer" under the Act, whether the problem is a defect, deficiency or unfair practice, and whether the complaint is within time.
Choosing between the consumer commission, an ombudsman, RERA, the Central Consumer Protection Authority or a civil court, depending on what you want and how fast.
Setting out the facts, the deficiency, the loss and each relief claimed, with the documents that prove them, so the commission can grant everything you are entitled to.
Preparing evidence affidavits, getting goods tested in a laboratory, and arranging expert opinions in medical, technical or construction disputes.
Answering the company's defences, arguing the case, and negotiating a settlement in consumer mediation where it is worth it.
Defending or filing appeals in the State or National Commission, and enforcing the final order, including penal action against a party that does not comply.
A consumer complaint is stronger, and sometimes unnecessary, if you take a few steps first.
The Act protects a "consumer", defined in Section 2(7) as a person who buys goods or hires or avails services for consideration, whether paid, promised or partly paid, including through online, teleshopping or multi-level marketing. It also covers anyone who uses the goods or services with the buyer's approval, such as family members.
A person who buys goods for resale, or goods or services for a commercial purpose, is not a consumer. But there is an important exception: buying goods or services exclusively to earn a livelihood by self-employment is not a commercial purpose. A taxi driver who buys a car to drive himself, or a doctor who buys equipment for her own clinic, can still be a consumer. Whether a business purchase falls inside or outside the Act depends on its dominant purpose, which courts examine case by case.
| Usually covered | Usually not covered |
|---|---|
| Goods bought for personal or household use, online or in a shop | Goods bought for resale or for a commercial purpose |
| Banking, insurance, transport, telecom, electricity supply, housing construction, entertainment, hotels and travel | Services rendered free of charge |
| Medical services paid for by the patient or by insurance, including private hospitals | Services under a contract of personal service, such as employment |
| Private coaching, and services such as school transport or hostels, in many decisions; core education and exams by boards and universities have generally been held outside the Act | Services of advocates, which the Supreme Court held in 2024 fall outside the Act |
| Builders and developers selling flats and plots | Sovereign functions of the state, such as policing |
| E-commerce platforms and sellers on them | Disputes where a special law excludes the commission, such as electricity theft assessments |
Complaints can be filed by the consumer, a registered voluntary consumer association, the central or state government, the Central Consumer Protection Authority, a group of consumers with the same interest, or the legal heir of a consumer who has died.
Have a question about your own case? Talk to a lawyer who handles consumer cases. Asking is free.
There are three tiers of consumer commission. Since 2021, the tier is decided by the value of the goods or services you paid for, not by the compensation you claim. This was a deliberate change to stop complainants inflating their claims to reach a higher forum.
| Commission | Value of goods or services paid for | Appeal goes to |
|---|---|---|
| District Commission | Up to ₹50 lakh | State Commission, within 45 days |
| State Commission | Above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore | National Commission, within 30 days |
| National Commission, New Delhi | Above ₹2 crore | Supreme Court, within 30 days |
Under Section 34 of the 2019 Act, you can file in the commission within whose area the opposite party resides or carries on business, where the cause of action arose, or, as a significant change from the old law, where you yourself reside or personally work for gain. This means a buyer in Indore can complain against a seller in Bengaluru in Indore. For a complaint about an online purchase, file where you live.
There is no fee where the value paid is up to five lakh rupees. Above that, the fee rises in slabs and is modest compared to court fee in a civil suit. Our consumer complaint fee calculator shows the exact fee and the right commission for any amount.
Section 69 requires a complaint to be filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action arose. The commission can admit a complaint filed later if the complainant shows sufficient cause, and must record its reasons for doing so. In practice, explanations such as ongoing correspondence with the company, waiting for a promised repair, or illness are often accepted when they are genuine and supported by documents, but unexplained delay is not.
Time spent pursuing an ombudsman or a company's internal process does not automatically stop the clock. If a complaint is getting close to two years, file it and continue the talks in parallel.
A consumer complaint is a short document, but every part of it matters. Commissions decide on what is pleaded and proved, and they cannot grant reliefs you did not ask for. Here is how an advocate approaches it.
Our consumer complaint service can prepare and file the complaint for you, and our step-by-step consumer complaint guide explains the filing in simple terms.
Every advocate on Mara Vakil has had their Bar Council enrolment checked before being listed.
Section 39 gives consumer commissions a wide range of powers. A well-drafted complaint asks for each relief that fits the facts.
| Relief | Example |
|---|---|
| Remove the defect | Repair a car's recurring engine fault |
| Replace the goods | A new phone of the same model, free of defect |
| Refund the price or charges | Return the amount paid for a cancelled tour, with interest |
| Compensation for loss or injury | Cost of alternative accommodation during builder delay; medical expenses after negligent treatment |
| Punitive damages | Where the conduct is especially callous or deliberate |
| Remove a deficiency in service | Restore a wrongly disconnected connection; correct a credit report |
| Stop an unfair practice | Discontinue a misleading claim or hidden charge |
| Corrective advertisement | Publish a correction to neutralise a misleading advertisement |
| Withdraw hazardous goods | Stop sale of unsafe products |
| Costs | Litigation expenses of the complainant |
Compensation for mental agony and harassment is common, but commissions award amounts they consider fair on the facts, not whatever figure is claimed. Claiming an inflated sum does not help and can look unreasonable. A realistic, itemised claim tends to fare better.
The State and National Commissions can also declare terms of a contract unfair and void, such as one-sided forfeiture clauses in builder agreements or charges imposed only on the buyer.
A wrong item delivered, a refund that never arrives, a "brand new" phone that turns out to be refurbished, a seller who disappears: online shopping produces a large share of today's consumer complaints. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 put specific duties on platforms and sellers.
In 2023 the Central Consumer Protection Authority issued guidelines against "dark patterns", design tricks such as false urgency, basket sneaking, forced subscriptions, hidden charges revealed only at checkout, and making it hard to cancel. Using them is treated as an unfair trade practice or misleading advertisement.
When filing a complaint about an online purchase, join both the seller and the platform. Platforms often argue that they are only intermediaries, but commissions examine their role in each case, particularly where the platform handled payment, delivery, returns or made representations about the product.
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Banking services are squarely within the Act: wrong debits, unexplained charges, failed transactions not reversed, delay in releasing documents after a loan is closed, and wrongful reporting to credit bureaus. Digital fraud has added a new category.
Under the RBI's 2017 framework on limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic transactions, if the fraud was due to a fault of the bank, or a breach in the system where neither you nor the bank was at fault and you reported it within three working days, your liability is zero. If you report within four to seven working days, your liability is capped at a limited amount depending on the account type. The bank must credit the disputed amount to your account, as a shadow reversal, within ten working days of your report while it investigates. Where the loss is due to your negligence, such as sharing an OTP or PIN, you bear the loss until you report it.
Insurance disputes are among the most common, and most winnable, consumer cases. Insurers frequently reject claims on grounds such as non-disclosure of a pre-existing disease, a policy exclusion, late intimation, or that hospitalisation was not necessary. Many of these rejections do not survive scrutiny.
| Common ground for rejection | What commissions often look at |
|---|---|
| Non-disclosure of a pre-existing condition | Whether the condition was material, whether the insured knew of it, whether the proposal form asked about it clearly, and whether the insurer conducted its own medical check |
| Exclusion clause | Whether the exclusion was explained and given to the insured, and whether it truly covers the facts |
| Delay in intimation | Whether the delay was genuine and whether it caused the insurer any prejudice; courts have held that a genuine claim should not be rejected on technical delay alone |
| Hospitalisation "not required" | The treating doctor's opinion and the medical records, rather than the insurer's view after the event |
| Partial settlement in motor or fire claims | The surveyor's report, depreciation applied and whether deductions follow the policy |
IRDAI's 2024 consolidated rules on health insurance shortened the moratorium period after which a health policy cannot be challenged for non-disclosure, except for proven fraud, and tightened timelines for cashless authorisation and claim settlement. Check the version of the rules that applied to your policy.
The Insurance Ombudsman is a free alternative for claims up to fifty lakh rupees. You must first complain to the insurer, and approach the ombudsman within one year of the insurer's final reply. The consumer commission remains open, and is often preferred where the claim is large or the facts need detailed evidence.
In Indian Medical Association v. V.P. Shantha (1995), the Supreme Court held that medical services for which the patient pays, directly or through insurance, are services under consumer law. Services provided entirely free in government hospitals to all patients are not covered, though paying patients in the same hospital may be.
Negligence in medicine means failing to act as a reasonably competent doctor in that field would have acted at the time. A bad outcome is not negligence by itself; medicine involves risk, and doctors are not liable merely because a different treatment might have worked. Commissions look for departures from accepted practice: wrong diagnosis despite clear signs, surgery without informed consent, a foreign object left inside, failure to monitor, wrong drug or dose, or treatment by an unqualified person.
Some cases, such as an obvious error like operating on the wrong limb, may speak for themselves. Most need expert support, which is where an advocate experienced in medical cases helps.
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| Sector | Typical complaints | Points to know |
|---|---|---|
| Builders and developers | Delayed possession, defects, change of plan, forfeiture of deposit | RERA is an alternative; both remain open. See our property lawyer guide for RERA. |
| Airlines | Cancellations, denied boarding, lost baggage, refunds on cancelled tickets | DGCA's passenger charter rules set minimum compensation and facilities in some situations; the commission can award more for deficiency. |
| Travel and hotels | Tour packages not as promised, refunds withheld | Keep the itinerary and promotional material; misrepresentation can be an unfair trade practice. |
| Telecom and internet | Wrong billing, service disruption, unauthorised value-added charges | Telecom is expressly included in the definition of service in the 2019 Act. |
| Electricity | Inflated bills, delay in connection, faulty meters | Billing disputes can go to the commission, but assessments for theft or unauthorised use under the Electricity Act have their own route. State electricity ombudsmen are another option. |
| Vehicles and appliances | Manufacturing defects, repeated failures, refusal to honour warranty | The commission can send goods for laboratory testing; keep service records showing repeated repairs. |
| Education and coaching | Refusal to refund fees, misleading claims about results | Commissions have generally treated core education by universities and boards as outside the Act, but private coaching and allied services are often treated differently. |
| Courier and logistics | Lost or damaged parcels | Liability limits printed on the receipt may be tested against unfair contract rules. |
Section 2(9) of the Act lists consumer rights. They are not slogans: commissions and the CCPA rely on them when deciding what a seller owed you.
Protection against goods, products or services that are hazardous to life and property.
To know the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of what you buy, so you are not misled.
Access, wherever possible, to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
To have your interests considered in appropriate forums.
Against unfair or restrictive trade practices and unscrupulous exploitation.
To know your rights and how to use them, which is part of what pages like this one are for.
Some everyday complaints involve laws beyond the Consumer Protection Act, which can give you an additional or quicker route.
| Problem | Relevant law and authority | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Charged above MRP, or packaged goods missing mandatory details | Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and Packaged Commodities Rules; state legal metrology department | Complain to the legal metrology officer, who can penalise the seller, and claim a refund through the commission |
| Short weight or measure | Legal Metrology Act; weights and measures inspectors | Report with the bill and the weighed item |
| Adulterated or unsafe food, or wrong labelling | Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; FSSAI and state food safety officers | Complain through FSSAI's grievance channels; keep the packaging and batch number; seek compensation in the commission |
| Spurious or substandard medicines | Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; state drug controller | Report to the drug controller with the strip and bill; consult a doctor at once if harmed |
| Hotel or restaurant adding a service charge by default | CCPA guidelines on service charge, issued in 2022 | Ask for removal; complain to the National Consumer Helpline or CCPA; the Delhi High Court has upheld the guidelines |
These regulators act against the seller, but they do not usually award you compensation. For your own loss, the consumer commission is still the place to go, and a regulator's finding is useful evidence there.
Your mobile number goes only to the advocate who accepts your request, not to everyone.
For banks, insurers, electricity and some other sectors, a free ombudsman exists alongside the commission. Each has strengths.
| Ombudsman | Consumer commission | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | No fee up to ₹5 lakh, small fees above |
| Speed | Usually a few months | Months to a couple of years, depending on backlog |
| Procedure | Informal, mostly on documents, often online | Semi-formal, with pleadings, affidavits and hearings |
| Compensation | Capped, with limited amounts for harassment | Wider, including compensation for mental agony, costs and punitive damages |
| Binding effect | The award binds the company if the complainant accepts it | A final order enforceable as a decree, with penal consequences |
| Best for | Clear cases on documents, smaller amounts | Larger claims, disputed facts, cases needing evidence or a strong order |
If the ombudsman rejects your complaint or you are unhappy with the result, you can generally still approach the consumer commission, but keep the two-year limit in mind while the ombudsman process runs.
The 2019 Act and the regulations under it lay down a procedure meant to be quick and simple. Commissions do not follow the full Code of Civil Procedure, which keeps cases shorter than civil suits.
| Stage | What happens | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | The commission checks that the complaint is maintainable and admits it, or rejects it after hearing you | Ordinarily within 21 days; if not decided, the complaint is treated as admitted |
| Notice to the opposite party | A copy of the complaint is sent to the opposite party | Soon after admission |
| Version or reply | The opposite party files its written version | 30 days, extendable by a further 15 days only |
| Rejoinder and evidence | You reply to the version, and both sides file evidence on affidavit with documents | As directed by the commission |
| Mediation, if agreed | The commission may refer the case to the consumer mediation cell with the parties' consent | Settlement recorded as an order |
| Hearing and order | Arguments, often brief, followed by the final order | The Act aims for three months, or five months where goods must be tested |
The deadline for the opposite party's reply is strict. In New India Assurance v. Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage (2020), a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that the commission cannot extend the time beyond the total of forty-five days. If the company misses it, the case proceeds without its version. In reality, many commissions have heavy backlogs and the target of three to five months is often exceeded, but cases still generally move faster than civil suits.
Many commissions allow hearings by video conference, and complainants living far away can request this. Adjournments are discouraged, and commissions can impose costs on a party seeking them without good reason.
Chapter VI of the 2019 Act introduced product liability, letting a consumer claim compensation for harm caused by a defective product or deficient service directly from the manufacturer, the service provider or the seller.
Liable if the product has a manufacturing defect, a design defect, deviates from specifications, does not conform to an express warranty, or lacks adequate instructions or warnings. The consumer need not prove negligence.
Liable if the service was faulty, imperfect or deficient, if there was an act of omission or commission or negligence causing harm, or if adequate warnings were not given.
Liable in specific cases, such as where the seller exercised substantial control over the product, altered it, made its own warranty, or where the manufacturer cannot be identified or served.
"Harm" includes damage to property other than the product itself, personal injury, illness or death, and mental agony or emotional distress attending these. Some defences are available, such as misuse or alteration of the product by the consumer, or where the danger was obvious or commonly known. A product liability claim is filed before the consumer commission like any other complaint.
Deadlines matter in consumer cases. Book a free call back today rather than waiting.
The 2019 Act created the Central Consumer Protection Authority to act on behalf of consumers as a class, not just individual complainants. It can investigate unfair trade practices, order recalls and refunds, and penalise misleading advertisements.
A party unhappy with an order can appeal to the next tier. Appeals in consumer cases require a pre-deposit, which discourages companies from appealing only to delay.
| From | To | Time limit | Deposit before appeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Commission | State Commission | 45 days | 50% of the amount ordered |
| State Commission (original case) | National Commission | 30 days | 50% of the amount ordered |
| National Commission (original case) | Supreme Court | 30 days | 50% of the amount ordered |
The State and National Commissions can also exercise revisional powers where a lower commission acted without jurisdiction or with material irregularity. Delay in filing an appeal can be condoned for sufficient cause. If you have won and the other side appeals, ask that the deposit be released to you, wholly or partly, during the appeal, which commissions sometimes allow.
An order is worth only what you can collect. The 2019 Act strengthened enforcement considerably.
Most large companies comply once an order becomes final, but smaller sellers and builders sometimes need execution. File promptly, and keep the company's registered office address and directors' names ready.
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There is no fixed formula for compensation in consumer cases. Commissions try to put the consumer back in the position they would have been in, and to recognise the trouble caused. Knowing what they look at helps you claim sensibly.
The Supreme Court has said compensation must be just and reasonable, not a windfall, and must have some link to the loss or suffering shown. A complaint that claims, say, a crore of rupees for a defective mixer weakens itself. An itemised claim, with each figure explained, tends to be treated with more respect.
Most genuine complaints succeed at least in part. When they fail, it is usually for one of a handful of reasons, almost all avoidable.
| Reason | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Not a consumer, because the purchase was for a commercial purpose | Explain the actual use, especially self-employment, with evidence |
| Filed after two years with no explanation | File on time, or give a documented reason for delay with an application |
| Wrong commission or wrong place | Check the value paid and the territorial rules before filing |
| Necessary party not joined | Name the seller, manufacturer, service provider and platform as relevant |
| No proof of the defect | Keep the product, get job cards, photographs or a laboratory or expert report |
| Medical case without expert support | Get an independent specialist's opinion before filing |
| Arbitration or another law excludes the forum | Check whether a special law applies; an arbitration clause generally does not bar a consumer complaint |
| Relief not asked for | List every relief, including refund, compensation, interest and costs |
| Not appearing at hearings | Attend every date or ask for video hearing; complaints can be dismissed for default |
Chapter V of the 2019 Act sets up consumer mediation cells attached to commissions. At the first hearing or at any later stage, if both parties agree, the commission can refer the dispute to mediation. Mediation is confidential and usually takes a few sittings.
If the parties settle, the mediator records the terms and the commission passes an order in those terms. No appeal lies against an order based on a mediated settlement. If mediation fails, the case returns to the commission and continues as before, and nothing said in mediation can be used against either side.
Mediation suits disputes where both sides want a quick end: a replacement, a partial refund, or a builder offering possession with compensation. Before agreeing, be clear about what you will accept, insist on written terms with dates and consequences of default, and make sure the settlement covers costs and withdrawal of any parallel complaints.
Fees are agreed directly between you and the advocate. Booking the call back costs nothing.
Consumer law also matters to the shops, clinics, builders, startups and service providers who receive complaints. A notice from a consumer commission should never be ignored.
Businesses should also make sure their terms do not contain clauses that could be declared unfair, that advertisements can be substantiated, and that e-commerce listings meet the information requirements. Our corporate lawyer guide covers compliance for businesses more broadly.
Flat buyers file some of the largest consumer complaints in the country, and the National Commission and Supreme Court have built up a body of law that favours buyers in several respects.
Our property lawyer guide explains the RERA side of builder disputes in detail.
Vehicle complaints are common and usually turn on documents. Typical cases include a "new" car that turns out to have been used as a demo vehicle or damaged in transit, a recurring defect that the authorised workshop cannot fix, charges for accessories or handling the buyer never agreed to, delays in registration, and insurance taken through the dealer that does not match what was promised.
Commissions generally expect clear evidence of a manufacturing defect before ordering replacement of a vehicle. Repeated job cards for the same fault, an independent expert's inspection, or a laboratory report where the commission orders one, carry weight. For a demo or damaged vehicle sold as new, the delivery note, odometer reading at delivery, invoice date compared with manufacturing date, and the vehicle's service history are important. Dealers and manufacturers are often joined together, because each blames the other.
Every case turns on its own facts. A verified advocate can tell you what applies to yours.
Many complainants run their own cases. A little preparation goes a long way before a commission.
These composite examples are drawn from common kinds of complaints, not real cases. Results depend on the documents and the commission.
A policyholder in his fifties is hospitalised for a heart procedure. The insurer rejects the claim, alleging non-disclosure of diabetes. His records show the diabetes was diagnosed two years after the policy began, and the proposal form's questions were answered truthfully. After the insurer's grievance cell upholds the rejection, he files before the District Commission with the hospital records and his doctor's certificate. The commission finds the rejection unjustified and orders payment of the claim with interest, compensation and costs.
A student's laptop develops a motherboard fault, which is repaired twice in eight months before failing again. The service centre offers only another repair. Her complaint against the manufacturer and the authorised dealer relies on the job cards showing repeated identical failures. The commission treats the recurring fault as a manufacturing defect and orders replacement with a new unit, plus compensation for the months she was without it.
A small trader reports the transactions to the bank the same morning and to the cyber helpline. The bank refuses to refund, claiming he must have shared his PIN. With the bank's own logs showing a new device registration he never authorised, his advocate argues the RBI zero liability framework. The bank's nodal officer does not act, the RBI Ombudsman directs a refund, and the matter closes without needing the commission.
A buyer receives a counterfeit watch and the platform refuses a return, saying the window has closed. He files against both the seller and the platform where he lives, with the listing screenshots, unboxing video and a letter from the brand confirming the serial number is not genuine. The commission holds both liable, orders a refund with compensation, and directs the platform to take action against the seller.
A family's international tickets are cancelled by the airline, which offers only a credit shell. Their complaint shows the airline's own cancellation and its failure to refund within the required period. The commission orders a full refund with interest and compensation for the inconvenience, noting that a credit shell cannot be forced on a passenger whose flight the airline cancelled.
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Keep electronic evidence in its original form. Commissions are generally less formal about proof than civil courts, but a clear set of dated documents makes your case far easier to follow and harder to dispute.
Consumer cases are among the cheapest legal remedies in India. There is no filing fee up to five lakh rupees, and fees above that are modest. You can appear in person, so the main cost, if any, is the advocate you choose to engage. Advocates set their own fees for consumer matters, often as a fixed amount for drafting and filing plus a fee per hearing, or a lump sum for the whole case. Fees vary with the city, the commission and the complexity, and a medical negligence or builder case needing expert evidence costs more than a refund dispute. Bar Council rules do not allow an advocate to take a share of the compensation as the fee.
If you win, the commission can award litigation costs against the other side, though these rarely cover every rupee spent. Eligible people can also get a free advocate through the District Legal Services Authority. Check with our legal aid eligibility checker, and see our guide to legal fees in India for how advocates usually charge.
Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules does not allow advocates to advertise or describe themselves as the best, so any site ranking "top consumer lawyers" is not an official list. Look instead at whether the advocate's practice matches your dispute.
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You can file and argue it yourself. An advocate helps in complex or high-value cases.
The commission is decided by the amount you paid, and compensation is assessed on the facts, not on the figure claimed.
A seller cannot contract out of liability for defective goods or deficient service. Such notices do not defeat a genuine complaint.
Platforms have duties under the E-Commerce Rules, and commissions examine their role in each case.
They are generally faster, with a strict deadline for the company's reply and simpler procedure, though backlogs vary by commission.
Have your documents ready? Book a free call back and share the details with the advocate.
A consumer who bought goods or paid for services, a registered consumer association, the central or state government, the Central Consumer Protection Authority, a group of consumers with the same interest, or the legal heir of a consumer who has died.
The District Commission if the value paid is up to fifty lakh rupees, the State Commission above that up to two crore, and the National Commission above two crore. The amount you paid decides the forum, not the compensation claimed.
Yes. The 2019 Act allows you to file where you reside or personally work for gain, as well as where the opposite party carries on business or where the cause of action arose.
Two years from the date the cause of action arose. A later complaint can be admitted if you show sufficient cause for the delay, which the commission must record.
No fee is payable where the value of goods or services paid for is up to five lakh rupees. Above that, a fee is charged in slabs, which our calculator shows for any amount.
Yes. Complaints can be filed and tracked on the e-Jagriti portal of the Department of Consumer Affairs, with documents uploaded and fees paid online.
No. You can file and argue your own case. For complex or high-value matters, such as medical negligence, insurance or builder disputes, an advocate's help with drafting and evidence often makes a difference.
It is not compulsory, but a written complaint to the company and, where useful, a legal notice often settle the matter and show the commission you gave the company a fair chance.
The Act aims for decisions within three months, or five months where goods must be tested. In practice, it varies with the commission's workload, but consumer cases are generally faster than civil suits.
Yes. Commissions regularly award compensation for mental agony and harassment along with refunds and losses, in amounts they consider fair on the facts.
Yes. Online purchases are covered, and e-commerce platforms have duties under the E-Commerce Rules, 2020. Name both the seller and the platform in the complaint.
Complain to the insurer's grievance cell first. Then approach the Insurance Ombudsman, free for claims up to fifty lakh rupees, or file a consumer complaint, especially for larger claims or where detailed evidence is needed.
Under the RBI framework, if you report an unauthorised electronic transaction within three working days and you were not negligent, your liability is zero, and the bank should credit the amount within ten working days. If the bank refuses, approach the RBI Ombudsman or the consumer commission.
Yes, for paid medical services, as the Supreme Court held in 1995. You must show the treatment fell below the standard of a reasonably competent doctor, usually with expert evidence.
Yes. Flat buyers can approach the consumer commission for delay, defects or refund. RERA is an alternative remedy, and the Supreme Court has held that both remain available.
No. In 2024 the Supreme Court held that services of advocates are not covered by the Consumer Protection Act. Complaints about an advocate's conduct go to the State Bar Council.
Apply for execution as a decree under Section 71, and for penal action under Section 72, which can lead to imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
Yes, within 45 days from a District Commission order, or 30 days from a State or National Commission order in an original case, after depositing half the amount ordered.
Generally no. The Supreme Court held in Emaar MGF Land v. Aftab Singh (2018) that an arbitration clause in a builder's or seller's agreement does not take away a consumer's right to approach the consumer commission.
Under the CCPA's 2022 guidelines, which the Delhi High Court has upheld, a service charge cannot be added by default or made compulsory. You can ask for it to be removed and complain to the National Consumer Helpline if it is not.
No. You can describe your consumer dispute and get a call from an enrolled advocate free. Any fee is agreed directly with the advocate. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm.
Local courts, forums and practice differ from city to city. Read the page for your city:
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