Pindi "Consumer Court" providing relief

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi "Consumer Court" is providing relief to the consumers and the court is gaining popularity as the consumers have found it rather convenient to appear before the District Consumer Court (DCC) for the protection of their rights, as the filing of cases in this court is continuously increasing.

Registrar Rawalpindi Consumer Court Abdul Rehman talking to APP said the consumer court is providing prompt justice to the consumers.

He said the cases against shopkeepers, manufacturing companies, retailers, and service providers are filed in the court.

Since the court's inception in 2005, it has decided a large number of
cases and has successfully fulfilled its obligation to decide cases within a stipulated time of six months.

Section 30(5) of the Punjab Consumer Protection Act, 2005 has declared
it mandatory for the court to either dismiss a petition or give a ruling within six months from the filing of the case.

He said, the court is gaining popularity among dissatisfied consumers. He said the number of filing of case in the court is increasing with the
passage of time.

He said the court was deciding all cases within the stipulated time in compliance of the act.

DCC records indicate that the cases are being filed by the consumers against dealers and manufacturers of home appliances, building contractors for non-compliance of the contract signed, bakery and hotel products.

To a question he said, the cases against herbalists, doctors, car tracking and manufacturing companies, medicine companies, mobile phone, cellular, insurance companies etc. can also be filed.

Though the traders criticise the working of the court claiming that the consumers were using the DCC as a tool to blackmail shopkeepers, traders and manufacturers.

They said the public was misusing it, as there was no cost associated with filing a case at the court, a shopkeeper said.

While, the consumers whose complaints were accepted and they were provided relief said that the DCC was essential to remedy the malpractices of businessmen.

They said it provided the consumers with prompt justice without any cost, adding that they never thought such an impartial system could be adopted in the country.

Muhammad Ilyas, a consumer, said the DCC protected consumer rights. He said there was a need to increase awareness about the court so its network could be expanded to every district of the province. (APP)