On World Consumer Day, we got advocate Uday Wavikar of the Mumbai consumer court to highlight our rights as consumers.
When purchasing a product...
- Check for the ISI mark: “The primary thing to keep in mind when purchasing a product is to ensure that it is an ISI (Indian Standards Institute) certified product. Considering the amount of fake products doing the rounds, this assurance is important,” says Advocate Wavikar.
- Double check quality/ quantity: “Today, even at market places, vendors cheat with the weights and deceive the customers," Wavikar warns. Hence, it is essential to ensure that you are purchasing the right quality and quantity of the products.
- Check the MRP: Make sure you aren’t shelling out more than required from your pocket. “Never spend more than the market price for a product and do your research on what the MRP of the product is. Any seller selling you something above the MRP can be charged for unfair trade practices and can be taken to court,” says Wavikar.
- Report the defect: Ideally, the first step is to go back to the seller and convey to him the defect or the reason for returning or exchanging the product. Most sellers are ready to help customers after being acquainted with the defect.
- Approach to the consumer court: “However, if the seller refuses to encourage your plea, you can go to the consumer court and file a complain. This however must be done within two years of the initial report,” says Wavikar.
Lost the receipt?You can exchange a product even if you have lost the receipt. According to Wavikar, all you need to do is approach the consumer court with secondary evidence. A friend, who is a witness to your purchase or was present at a time the seller refused to provide a receipt, can serve as secondary evidence.
Right to freebiesIf you hate defected freebies as much as we do, you're in luck. If the free laptop bag that can with your laptop purchase has a faulty zipper, you can take action! “You are entitled to even move the consumer court if you are a beneficiary,” says Wavikar. If a company provides you with a defected freebie, it can be charged for unfair trade practices again,” he adds.
However, if you wish to exchange a defected gift you’ve received, you will require the prior approval of the person who made the first purchase before you can move the court.
Interim reliefIn case of urgent scenarios, customers can also make use of the provision of interim relief. “If a builder attempts to cheat the owner of a flat and tries to sell off the flat to a third party, the owner can apply for an interim relief and can put a stop to the transfer of the flat to a third party, until the court makes its decision,” says Wavikar.
He adds that interim reliefs are provided quite in time, sometimes almost instantaneously.
Here's how to make the most of Consumer Rights:
Unite together
“It makes a huge difference if consumers decide to raise their voice together,” says Wavikar. Take up class action petitions via NGOs and associations, to help stop sellers from cheating consumers. “More often than not, consumers are not aware of their rights and hence don’t raise a voice against those cheating them,” he adds.
Be educated
We need consumer education in rural areas, where the act of cheating consumers is higher and people don’t raise their voices.
The Consumer Protection Act is a very strong one if it is used well, and implemented properly by those in authority.
Hello Dude,
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting take on the concept. World consumer rights day first took place on 15 March 1983. It is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement promoting the basic rights of all consumers demanding that those rights are respected and protected protesting about the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them. Thanks a lot...
Consumer Rights