• National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has achieved a disposal rate of 122 per cent in consumer cases in July, the Department of Consumer Affairs said on August 17.

• More than 100 per cent disposal rate means the cases resolved by the consumer forums were higher than the cases filed during that month. This will result in clearing the backlog of pending cases.

• Besides, the Department of Consumer Affairs highlighted that 10 states have also achieved more than 100 per cent disposal rate in July.

• Tamil Nadu recorded 277 per cent disposal rate, Rajasthan 214 per cent, Telangana 158 per cent, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand 150 per cent each, Meghalaya 140 per cent, Kerala 122 per cent, Puducherry 111 per cent, Chhattisgarh 108 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 101 per cent.

• Analysis of the July 2025 data revealed that the overall disposal of consumer cases across the country was substantially higher than the corresponding period in 2024.

What is the role of NCDRC?

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 came into force in July 2020 with the government notifying rules for its implementation. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. 

• The new Act empowers consumers and helps them in protecting their rights through various provisions like Consumer Protection Councils, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, Mediation, Product Liability and punishment for manufacture or sale of products containing adulterants or spurious goods.

• The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery that has been set up at district, state and national level for better protection of the interests of consumers and to provide simple and speedy redressal of consumer disputes.

• NCDRC was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. 

• Its head office is in New Delhi.

• At present, there is the NCDRC at the national level and 35 State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (SCDRC). There are 685 district commissions as well.

• If a consumer is not satisfied by the decision of a District Forum, he/she can appeal to the State Commission. The consumer can move a petition to the National Commission against the order of the State Commission. 

• The NCDRC is the apex body for redressal of consumer grievances. 

• It is headed by a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court of India and has seven members.

• A selection committee recommends names of candidates for appointment as members from amongst the applicants in order of merit for the consideration of the central government. The Centre seeks approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet after scrutiny.

• Members of NCDRC shall hold office for a period of five years. The term of appointment is, however, subject to the maximum age limit of 67 years.

e-Jagriti Portal

• On January 1, 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs launched e-Jagriti (Justice And Grievance Redressal through Information Technology and Innovation) portal as a next-generation, unified digital platform to transform consumer grievance redressal across the country. 

• It is designed to enhance accessibility, transparency, and efficiency.

• Now operational at the NCDRC and across all 36 states and Union Territories, e-Jagriti enables consumers and advocates to register via OTP-based authentication, file complaints from anywhere in India or abroad, pay fees online or offline, and track case progress in real time.

• As of August 6, 2025, over two lakh users, including NRIs, have registered on the e-Jagriti platform since its launch, and 85,531 cases have been filed through this platform this year alone.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)