The Union government on Friday directed states to accelerate the appointment process for 663 vacant positions across state and district consumer commissions, expressing concern over mounting vacancies that threaten to undermine consumer rights protection.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare, who reviewed the situation with state government officials, expressed "deep concern" about increasing vacancies in consumer commissions compared to previous years.

According to official data, 18 posts of President and 56 posts of members are lying vacant in state commissions as of October 2024.

At district level, 162 posts of President and 427 posts of members are vacant across the country, the consumer affairs ministry said in a statement.

"It is imperative that vacancies are filled up at the earliest possible to ensure that consumer disputes/cases are handled promptly and efficiently," Khare said during the meeting.

The secretary urged state representatives to prioritize these appointments, emphasizing that effective functioning of consumer commissions is vital for protecting consumer rights.

To address immediate concerns, Khare drew attention to Section 32 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which permits assigning additional charge to another District Commission to ensure continuity in consumer dispute resolution.

State officials agreed that filling vacancies is crucial to avoid delays in hearings and reduce case backlog.

The ministry has committed to work with stakeholders to ensure an efficient and transparent process for filling these vacancies.