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Six consumer rights, commission jurisdiction limits, e-Daakhil filing and e-commerce protections
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 replaced the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 and came into force on July 20, 2020. It modernised consumer law for an era of e-commerce, digital payments and aggressive advertising. It covers goods and services bought offline or online, including telecom, banking, housing, travel, healthcare and education services in many cases.
This article provides general legal information, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, consult a lawyer or consumer organisation.
A consumer is a person who buys goods or hires services for consideration (payment made or promised). The definition explicitly includes online and offline transactions, teleshopping and multi-level marketing. It excludes people who buy goods for resale or for commercial purposes, though goods bought for earning a livelihood through self-employment remain covered.
Jurisdiction depends on the value of goods or services paid as consideration, as revised by rules notified in 2021:
| Commission | Value of consideration paid |
|---|---|
| District Commission | Up to ₹50 lakh |
| State Commission | Above ₹50 lakh up to ₹2 crore |
| National Commission (NCDRC) | Above ₹2 crore |
A complaint can be filed where the complainant resides or works, not just where the seller is located.
Write to the seller or service provider with details and a clear deadline. Keep copies of all communication.
Call 1915 or use the NCH portal and app. The helpline can route complaints to companies for pre-litigation resolution.
The commission issues notice to the opposite party, hears both sides and passes orders. Appeals go to the next higher commission within prescribed time limits.
A complaint should generally be filed within two years from the date the cause of action arose. Delay can be condoned for sufficient reason.
Fees are nominal and graded by claim value; complaints up to ₹5 lakh carry no fee under current rules.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 require platforms to:
The CCPA has also issued guidelines against dark patterns, such as fake urgency, drip pricing and subscription traps, and on misleading advertising.
No. Consumers can file and argue their own cases, although legal help can be useful for complex matters.
Generally no, because the Act requires consideration. Services provided free of charge are usually excluded.
Yes. Both the seller and, depending on its role, the platform can be made parties.
The Act sets target timelines of about three to five months, but actual durations vary with the commission's workload.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 gives Indian buyers practical tools: a helpline, online filing, a regulator and clear jurisdiction rules. Keep records, try to resolve disputes directly first, and use the commissions when sellers do not respond.
