Srinagar: The J&K High Court has directed Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to apprise the court about the steps being taken for setting up Commissions and District forums for disposal of pending complaints and appeals within one week.
The court passed the direction after advocate Faisal Qadri informed that large number of consumer disputes which were pending for disposal before State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and District Consumer Forum have been closed down.
He submitted that the government on October 23 wound up the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission constituted under Jammu and Kashmir Consumer Protection Act, 1987 and all the records pertaining to commission have been transferred to the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department.
He made a submission that in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Re-organization Act, 2019, the J&K Consumer Protection Act stands repealed but in terms of the Schedule fifth of the Central Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is applicable to the Union Territory of J&K and Ladakh.
The counsel referred to the Section9 of ChapterIII of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 which deals with establishment of Consumer Disputes Redressal Agencies.
The court after hearing the counsel at lenghth directed Chief Secretary of both the UT’s to apprise the court about the steps taken for providing consumer commissions in the regions within one week.
The Court will again hear the case on November 20.

NUSRAT SIDIQ