Even though two and a half years have elapsed since a notification was issued for establishment of a circuit bench of the State Consumer Commission here, the Government is yet to take any positive move to set up the same.
“The Government had promised to set up a State Consumer Commission bench here over two years ago in view of increasing number of consumer cases. Consumers of south Odidha are still going to State Consumer Commission at Cuttack to challenge orders of the District Consumer Court. The Consumer Welfare Department should keep its promise and set up the bench at the earliest,” demanded Ganjam District Consumer lawyers’ Association former president Kailash Chandra Mishra.
Mishra informed that the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department had issued a notification in January 2014 for establishment of a bench of the State Consumer Commissioner here. The Revenue Divisional Commissioner was asked to identify a location for the purpose. Subsequently, the RDC suggested to the department to run the bench at the Additional RDC’s Camp Court office. Even three staffs from the District Consumer Court had been posted on deputation to run office of the bench. While one year has passed, the bench is yet to be established.
As many as 2,600 cases are now lying pending in south Odisha to be heard in the State Consumer Commission Court. For this, people are running to Cuttack and spending a lot of money towards transportation cost. Hence, the department should establish a fresh notification and establish the proposed bench at the earliest, demanded Consumer lawyers’ Association president Siva Prasad Mishra.