Will Appoint State Consumer Commission's President Within Six Weeks: Telangana Govt To High Court

Telangana government has assured the Telangana High Court that the post of President of State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, that has been lying vacant since February, will be filled within a period of six weeks.

Senior Counsel Harender Pershad, representing the State, gave an undertaking in this regard before the court the division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice T Vinod Kumar during the hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Advocate Beglekar Akash Kumar challenging State's inaction in filling up the post of President in the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. 

Senior Counsel Pershad, who is a Special Government Pleader in the case, submitted that a notification was issued and three names have been referred by the selection committee. Addressing the counsel, Justice Aradhe asked, "You tell us, within how much time will you do it?”

While the senior counsel sought four weeks for the purpose, the court granted six weeks for the appointment. It recorded the State's undertaking that the post will be filled up before the next date of hearing, September 06

Advocate Beglekar Akash Kumar, the petitioner, in the plea has submitted that since the retirement of Justice MSK Jaiswal in February, the post of the President of the State Consumer Commission has been lying vacant. He submitted that the Notification was issued in December 2022 calling for filling the post but the post was still not filled.

Kumar has argued that the State Consumer Commission entertains appeals and revisions from twelve districts across the State apart for being the Court of Original Jurisdiction for claims having pecuniary value between fifty lakhs and two crores.

“It is pertinent to mention that in a year nearly about 1000 Appeals, 1500 Revisions and 40 Original Complaints are filed in the Telangana State Consumer Commission,” he said in the plea.

He further submitted that he had made representations before the Chief Minister of the Telangana State and also before the Telangana State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, but none of his representations had been considered.

“It is submitted that the Petitioner has given representation dated 25.04.2023 to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana State as well to the Respondent State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, but the Respondents have not acted upon the Petitioner's representation till the date of filing the present PIL. Hence, left with no other option, the present PIL is filed for following amongst grounds,” he said in the PIL