Consumer Protection (Punjab) Rules, 1987

Consumer Protection (Punjab) Rules, 1987

Published vide Punjab Gazette, (Extraordinary), Legislative Supplement, Part 3, dated November 17, 1987

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Short title and extent.- (1) These rules may be called the Consumer Protection (Punjab) Rules, 1987.
Definitions- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires;

(a) "Act" means the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (Central Act No. 68 of 1986);

(b) "agent" means a person duly authorised by a party to present any complaint or appeal or reply on its behalf before the State Commissioner or the District Forum ;

(d) "memorandum" means memorandum of appeal filed by the appellant;

(e) "opposite party" means a person who answers complaint, or claim;

(f) "respondent" means the person who answers any memorandum of appeal; and

(g) "State" means the State of Punjab;

(h) "Section" means a section of the Act.

Salaries and other allowance and terms and conditions of the President and Members of the District Forum under sub-section (3) of section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 [Section 10(3)].- [(1) The President of a District Forum,]-

(a) if appointed on whole-time basis, shall draw his pay in the grade of pay admissible to a Judge of District Court; and

(b) if appointed on part-time basis, shall be paid on honorarium of two hundred rupees per day for the sitting of the District Forum.

(1A) The Members of the District Forum other than the President, -

(a) if appointed on whole-time basis, shall be paid a consolidated honorarium of four thousand rupees per mensem; and

(b) if appointed on part-time basis, shall be paid an honorarium of one hundred and fifty rupees per day for the sitting of the District Forum.]

(2) The president and the members of the District Forum shall be entitled for such travelling allowance and daily allowance on official tour as are admissible to class I officers of the State Government.

(3) The salary, honorarium and other allowances shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State Government.

(4) Before appointment, the president and members of the District Forum shall have to given an undertaking that he does not and will not have any such financial or other interests as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as such.

(5) In addition of provisions of sub-section (2) of section, the State Government may remove from the office, the president and members of a District Forum who, -

[(a) has failed to attend five sittings of the forum in a calendar month.]

(aa) has been adjudged an insolvent;

(b) has been convicted of an offence, which in the opinion of the State Government, involves moral turpitude;

(d) has acquired such financial or other interest as are likely to affect prejudicially his functions as a member;

(e) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office, prejudicial to the public interest:

Provided that the president or a member shall not be removed from his office on the grounds specified in clauses (d) and (e) except on an inquiry held by the State Government in accordance with such procedure as it may specify in this behalf and finds the President on the member to be guilty of such ground.

(6) The terms and conditions of the service of the president and the members of the District Forum shall not be varied to their disadvantage during their tenure of office.

(7) Where any vacancy occurs in the office of President of the District Forum, the senior-most (in order of appointment) member of District Forum holding office for the time being, shall discharge the functions of the president until a person appointed to fill such vacancy assumes the office of the President of the District Forum.

(8) When the president of the District Forum is unable to discharge the functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the senior-most (in order of appointment) member of the District Forum shall discharge the functions of the president until the day on which the president resumes the charge of his functions.

(9) The president or any member ceasing to hold office as such shall not hold any appointment in or be connected with the management or administrative of an organisation which have been the subject of any proceedings under the Act during his tenure for a period of 5 years from the date on which he ceases to hold such office.

Place of sitting and other matters relating to District Forum section 14(3) sub-section (3) of Section 14 of C.P.A. 1986.- (1) The office of the District Forum shall be located at the headquarter of the District. Where State Government decided to establish a single District Forum having jurisdiction over more than one District, it shall notify the place and jurisdiction of the District Forum so established.

(2) The working days and the office hours of the District Forum shall be the same as that of the State Government.

(3) The official seal and emblem of the District Forum shall be such as the State Government may spccify.

(4) Sitting of the District Forum, as and when necessary, shall be convened by the president.

(5) No act or proceedings of the District Forum shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy among its members or any defect in its constitution.

(6) The State Government shall appoint such staff, as may be necessary to assist the District Forum in its day of day work and preform such other functions as are provided under these rules, or assigned to it by the President. The salary payable to such staff shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State Government.

(7) Where the opposite party admits the allegation made by the complainant, the District forum shall decide the complaint on the basis of the merit of the case and documents present before it.

(8) If during the proceedings conducted under section 13, the District Forum fixes a date for hearing of the parties, it shall be obligatory on the complainant and opposite party or its authorised agent to appear before the District Forum on such date of hearing or any other date to which hearing could be adjourned. Where the complainant or his authorised agent fails to appear before the District Forum on such day, the District Forum may in its discretion either dismiss the complaint for default or decide it on merit. Where the opposite party or its authorised agent fails to appear on the day of hearing, the District Forum may decide the complaint ex parte.

(9) While proceedings under sub-rule (8), the District Forum may, on such terms as it may think fit and at any stage, adjourn the hearing of the complaint but not more than one adjournment shall ordinarily be given and the complaint shall be decided within ninety days from the date of the notice received by the opposite party where complaint does not require analysis or testing of the goods and within one hundred and fifty days if it requires analysis or testing of the goods.

(10) Order of the District Forum shall be signed and dated by the members of the District Forum constituting the Bench and shall be communicated to the parties free of charge.

Procedure to be adopted by the District Forum for analysis and testing of the goods clause (c) of sub-section (i) of section 13 of C.P.A. 1986 [Section 13(1)(c)].- Under clause (c) of sub-section (a) of section 13, if considered necessary, the District Forum may direct the complainant to provide more than one sample of the goods in clean containers with stopper properly fixed on them.

(2) On receiving the samples of such goods, the District Forum shall seal it and fix labels on the containers carrying following information:-

(i) name and address of the appropriate laboratory to whom sample will be sent for analysis and test;

(ii) name and address of the District Forum;

(iii) case number;

(iv) seal of the District Forum.

(3) The sample will be sent to the appropriate laboratory by the District Forum for sending report within forty five days or within such extended time as may be granted by the District Forum after specifying the nature of the defect alleged and date of submission of the report.

Salary and other allowance and terms and conditions of the president and members of the State Commission sub-section (2) of section 16 of C.P.A. 1986 [Section 16(2)].- [(1) The President of the State Commission,]-

(a) if appointed on whole-time basis, shall draw his pay in the grade of pay admissible to a Judge of the High Court; and

(b) if appointed on part-time basis shall be paid honorarium of three hundred and fifty rupees per day for the sitting of the State Commission.

(IA) The Members of the State Commission other than the President, -

(a) if appointed on whole-time basis shall be paid a consolidated honorarium of five thousand rupees per mensem; and

(b) if appointed on part time, basis shall be paid an honorarium of two hundred and fifty rupees per day for the sitting of the State Commission.]

(2) The president and the members of the State Commission shall be eligible for such travelling allowance and daily allowance on official tour as are admissible to Class-I officers of the State Government.

(3) The salary, honorarium and other allowances shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State Government.

(4) The president and the members of the State Commission shall hold office for a term of five years or up to the age of sixty five years which ever is earlier and shall not be eligible for renomination:

Provided that president and a member may;-

(a) by writing under his hand and addressed to the State Government resign his office any time;

(b) be removed from his office in accordance with provisions of sub-rule (5).

(5) The State Government may remove from office, president or a member of a State Commission who:

[(a) has failed to attend five sittings of the State Commission in a Calendar Month;]

(aa) has been adjudged an insolvent; or

(b) has been convicted of an offence which in the opinion of the State Government, involves moral turpitude; or

(d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to effect prejudicially his functions as a member; or

(e) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in affice prejudicial to the public interest;

Provided that the president or a member shall not be removed from his office on the grounds specified in clauses (d) and (e) except on an inquiry held by the State Government in accordance with such procedure as it may specify in this behalf and finds president or the member to be guilty of such ground.

(6) Before appointment, president and a member of the State Commission shall have to give an undertaking that he does not and will not have any such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as such.

(7) The terms and conditions of the service of the president and the members of the State Commission shall not be varied to their disadvantage during their tenure of office.

(8) Every vacancy caused by resignation and removal of the president or any other member of the State Commission under sub-rule (4) or otherwise shall be filled by fresh Appointment.

(9) Where any such vacancy occurs in the office of the president of the State Commission, the senior-most (in order of appointment) member, holding office for the time being, shall discharge the functions of the president until a person appointed to fill such vacancy assumes the office of the president of the State Commission.

(10) When the president of the State Commission is unable to discharge the functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the seniormost (in order of appointment) member or the State Commissioner shall discharge the functions of the president until the day on which the president resumes the charge of his functions.

(11) The president or any member ceasing to hold office as such shall not hold any appointment in or be connected with the management or administration of an organisation which has been the subject of any proceedings under the Act during his tenure for a period of five years from the date on which he ceases to hold such office.

Sub-section (3) of section 14 read will section 18 of C.P.A. 1986 - Place of sitting and other matters relating to the State Commission [section 14(3) read with section 18].- (1) Office of the State Commission shall be located at the capital of the State.

(2) The working days and the office hours of the State Commission shall be the same as that of the State Government.

(3) The Official seal and emblem of the State Commission shall be such as the State Government may specify.

(4) Sitting of the State Commission, as and when necessary, shall be convened by the President.

(5) No act or proceedings of the State Commission shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy among its members or any defect in its constitution thereof.

(6) The State Government shall appoint such staff, as may be necessary to assist the State Commission in its work and perform such other functions as are provided under these rules or assigned to it by the President. The salary payable to such staff shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State Government.

(7) Where the opposite party admits the allegations made by the complainant, the State Commission shall decide the complaint on the basis of the merit of the case and documents present before it.

(8) if during the proceedings conducted under section 13, the State Commission fixes a date for hearing of the parties, it shall be obligatory on the complainant and opposite party or his authorised agent to appear before the State Commission on such date of hearing or any other date to which hearing could be adjourned. Where the complainant or his authorised agent fails to appear before the State Commission on such day, the State Commission may in its discretion either dismiss the complaint for default or decide it on merit. Where the opposite party or its authorised agent fails to appear on the day of hearing, the State Commission may decide the complaint ex parte.

(9) While proceeding under sub-rule (8), the State Commission, may, on such terms as it may think fit and at any stage, adjourned the hearing of the complaint but not more than one adjournment shall ordinarily be given and the complaint should be decided within ninety days from the date of notice received by the opposite party where complainant does not require analysis or testing of the goods and within one hundred and fifty days if it requires analysis or testing of the goods.

(10) Order of the State Commission shall be signed and dated by the members of the State Commission constituting the Bench and shall be communicated to the parties free of charge.

Procedure for hearing appeal (Section 15) Section 15 of C.P.A. 1986- (1) The memorandum of appeal shall be presented by the appellant or his authorised agent to the State Commission in person or sent by registered post addressed to the State Commission.

(2) Every memorandum filed under sub-rule (1), shall be in legible handwriting preferably typed and shall set forth concisely under distinct heads, the ground of appeal without any argument or narrative and such ground shall be numbered consecutively.

(3) Each memorandum of appeal shall be accompanied by certified copy of the order of the District Forum appealed against and such of the documents as may be required to support grounds of objection mentioned in the memorandum.

(4) When the appeal is presented after the expiry of period of limitation as specified in the Act, the memorandum shall be accompanied by an application supported by an affidavit setting forth the fact on which appellant relies to satisfy the State Commission that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the period of limitation.

(5) The appellant shall submit four copies of the memorandum to the State Commission for official purposes.

(6) On the date of hearing or any other day to which hearing may be adjourned, it shall be obligatory for the parties or their authorised agents to appear before the State Commission. If appellant or his authorised agent fails to appear on such date, the State Commission may, in its discretion, either dismiss the appeal or decide it on the merit of the case. If respondent or his authorised agent fails to appear on such date, the State Commission shall proceed ex parte and shall decide the appeal ex parte on merits of the case.

(7) The appellant shall not, except by leave of the State Commission urge or be heard in support of any ground of objections not set forth in the memorandum but the State Commission, in deciding the appeal, shall not confine to the grounds of objection set forth in the memorandum or taken by leave of the State Commission under this Rule:

Provided that the Commission shall not rest its decision on any other grounds unless the party who may be affected thereby, has been given, at least one opportunity of being heard by the State Commission.

(8) State Commission may, on such terms as it may think fit and at any stage, adjourn the hearing of appeal, but not more than one adjournment shall ordinarily be given and the appeal should be decided within ninety days from the first date of hearing.

(9) Order of the State Commission on appeal shall be signed and dated by the members of the State Commission constituting the Bench and shall be communicated to the parties free of charge.