OCM 2 Marks Each

Lok Adalat:

• Lok Adalat or People’s Court is India’s innovative contribution to the world for resolving cases quickly.
• The concept of Lok Adalat was started in Gujarat.
• It is an effective way to provide speedy and economical justice to the poor, weak and exploited section of the society.
• Generally, the Lok Adalats hear cases related to accident and its compensation, divorce, alimony, general debts, personal complaints, police complaints, etc.
• Lok Adalats consist of advocates, social workers, educationalists, reputed citizens, businessmen, police officers, insurance officers, judges and judicial officers.
• The Lok Adalats try to solve the cases amicably in such a way that both the parties get satisfied.

It is highly essential to protect consumer against unsafe products, adulteration, and misleading advertisement, false and unreasonable policy of business firm.

• Consumers lack proper information, so they hesitate to take any legal step against malpractice.
• Consumer should be made aware.
• Moreover it is necessary to make legal relief reach the consumer.
• Consumer class is not united in India.
• So it is exploited.
• In India such protection institutions are active and perform many activities related to consumer protection.
• It protects consumer’s interest and it is necessary to protect the interest of consumer through legal steps.

According to gandhiji , in business most important person is consumer because “he is not dependent on business on the contrary business depends on him.

• “Consumer is not an outsider in business but a part of business.”
• We are not favoring them by giving their desired things but he provides us opportunity to do so.
• Gandhiji has said in his principles of trusteeship that those whom society has offered wealth should utilize it for the poor and needy people.

Physical and mental exploitation:

• If the consumer is fooled or forced to purchase a sub-standard quality or a duplicate product, then it leads to mental agony as well as physical loss.
• Getting disappointed, angry and frustrated and feeling cheated are forms of mental exploitation that the consumer faces whereas loss of money, adverse effect on human body by using the product, etc. are the form of physical loss or physical exploitation.

In constant increasing competition, manufacturers of product / service exploit customers to increase sales share. They use unfair trade practice and unjust techniques. Due to this system consumer feel being cheated. E.g. Misleading advertisements play vital role in cheating customers.

The court can direct to remove the defects existing in the product or the service. It can direct to refund the money if defects are found in the product or the service.

The National Commission consists of minimum five members. One of the members is appointed as the president of the forum. The president will be either existing or a retired judge of the Supreme Court. Moreover, at least one of the three members should be a woman.

State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions

Consumer should throw the waste in dust-bins in order to prevent dirt and pollution, Consumer should switch-off lights of his building when they are unnecessary on.

The act of promoting consumer protection at large is known as consumerism.

Bill plays the core role during complain redressal. If the consumer wants to complain to the Consumer Protection Forum for some faulty product, it is mandatory to submit the proof of purchase in the form of a bill.

As per the right of Hygienic Environment, every individual has the right to get pollution-free air, water, food and land.

Basic Right says that every person is entitled to basic needs such as adequate food, water, clothing, shelter and health care required for survival.

If a consumer gets sub-standard quality of goods or services as compared to what he has been promised then he has the right to get the relief.

The right of choice has led to production of variety of goods and services having different quality, brand, price, size, etc. Thus, the choices for consumer increased.

Every consumer has a right to choose the product he wishes to purchase. The consumer must get a product at a competitive price, in right quantity, right place and at right time.

Information such as ingredients, manufacturing date, directions for use, price, quality, weight, purity, etc.

Every consumer is entitled to get protection from products which are harmful to health. Hence, standardized and superior quality appliances should only be used so that they do not cause harm to consumers.

Consumers can unite and file collective complaint to exert more pressure on authorities. Consumers can also form consumer forums to fight for various consumers.

Consumers are ignorant about laws and rights that have been empowered on them by the government for their protection. Many a times, they are misguided and misled. All these

The prinniple says that ‘Whatever wealth the society has given to us should be used for the welfare of the people of the society

Every business unit is continuously andhaphazardly utilizing public or say national resources and wealth. Hence, it is the responsibility of these units to produce such goods and services which are useful to the society.

If the consumer is fooled or forced to purchase a sub-standard quality or a duplicate product, then it leads to mental and physical exploitation.

In most of the cases, consumers either do not have the capacity to unite and become aware or do not have information regarding the legal measures and consumer rights. This leads to consumer exploitation.

The act of providing shield to consumer from the unethical, exploitative and unlawful practices of sellers or manufacturers is called consumer protection.

Bill is must to register complaint if the product is substandard or defective or less in weight. Bill is an evidence of purchase of the product.

Environment department of government has made plan to preserve environment by giving eco-mark to the products.

• According to the belief of the government, that permission apply eco-mark to environment friendly products.
• Company holiday this mark will be considered more prestigious in society.
• Public will be motivated to buy such products such as soap, detergent soap, detergent powder, food items etc.

While purchasing product / service name of the manufacturer, his address, price, quantity, date of manufacturing, expiry date, method of use, ingredients of the product, weight guarantee or warranty period conditions etc. Should be considered.

Consumer should draw the attention of advertiser if the advertisement violates ethics, and there is contradiction between the attributes showed in advertisement and actual quality of product.

According to consumer protection act, consumer is entitled to have the information regarding the product such as ingredients of the product, manufacturing date, price, quantity, method of using the product, quality, purity, expiry date.

Consumer have no information regarding their right or they do not have sufficient information regarding legal procedure or they have false information. So it is necessary to make them aware.

There are many organization of consumers and non-government organization to protect consumer interest. They work for welfare, on no profit no loss basis. Their structure is different. They are free from government’s interference and protect consumer’s interest.

There are three types of the exploitation of consumer

• Physical and psychological
• Damage to public interest
• Economic exploitation.