nThe Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Consumer Protection Bill 2018 that seeks to strengthen the rights of consumers and provide a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services. It was passed in the lower house after all the amendments moved by Opposition were negated. The Bill will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Among others, the legislation provides for protection of interests of consumers and setting up of authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes.

Speaking on the bill, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the overall purpose of the legislation is to ease the process of addressing grievances of consumers.

The bill will now go to Rajya Sabha for passage, where it was not passed in December last year and had lapsed. The bill proposes setting up of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and forums at the district, state and national levels for adjudicating consumer complaints.

It also seeks to set up a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce consumer rights as a class. The CCPA would make interventions to prevent consumer detriment arising from unfair trade practices. The agency can also initiate class action, including enforcing recall, refund and return of products.

Paswan said CCPA would take immediate action on any complaint filed by the consumer and if required could also file class action suit. He said this bill proposes stringent action in case of misleading advertisements against the advertiser but not against the media through which advertisement is being publicised.

BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy suggested that cases of call drops and power cuts should also be considered under the ambit of this proposed law.

Opposing the bill, Congress member M K Vishnu Prasad claimed it would curb the freedom of consumers and trample on their rights. ‘The real problems of consumers must be heard,’ he said, adding the government must bring a comprehensive bill in this regard. While DMK's K Veeraswamy said the bill provides for ‘feudal rule, not federal rule’ and it will take away consumer rights, Pratima Mondal of Trinamool Congress claimed that the intention of the bill is to encroach upon powers of the state.