Effective consumer representation vital to check frauds : The Tribune India

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Effective consumer representation vital to check frauds

Protection of consumers right involves giving full freedom to the consumer to know about the content and composition of products and services which he is purchasing.

Effective consumer representation vital to check frauds

Consumers have the right to know about the content and composition of products they are purchasing. File photo



Protection of consumers right involves giving full freedom to the consumer to know about the content and composition of products and services which he is purchasing. Nowadays, there has been rampant food adulteration. Consumers should have proper redressal mechanisms both at the regional and district levels. The decision should be given in a stipulated time period by the forum. Consumers must ask for the bill of the good or service he is buying. No seller or service provider can refuse to give bill. If the seller refuses to take it back, then the consumer must register his complaint with the consumer redressal forum and a penalty should be imposed on the seller.

Farzana Khan


Evaluate risky purchases

The Consumer Protection Act was passed in the year 1986. It is considered as an important milestone in the legal history of India. To protect the rights of the consumer, certain important things should be taken care of. Ask about the product warranty. Consumers should be fully aware of rights such as Right to safety, Right to choose, Right to be informed, Right to consumer education, Right to be heard, etc. Checking business reviews at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), evaluating large or risky purchases before making them, keeping the receipt for any product that is being purchased, using a credit card while making online purchases, etc are some of the other measures that can be adopted while buying products. Contact the seller if a product is defective. File a complaint with the BBB. Complaint can also be filed with a federal or state consumer protection agency. One of the most important and successful consumer awareness campaigns in recent times has been the ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ campaign.

Shubhangi Sofat


Don't fall prey to false claims

Consumers have the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods so as to protect themselves against the unfair trade practices. A consumer should insist on getting all the information about the product or service before making a choice. This will enable him to act wisely and responsibly. It will also enable him to desist from falling prey to high pressure selling techniques. 

Kirti Khosla


Be a cautious consumer, keep receipts of products 

Consumer rights provide a way for individuals to fight back. However, the best way to ensure that your consumer rights are not violated is to be more aware and be a savvy and cautious buyer. One should have the courage to take action against businesses and individuals that engage in scams, fraud, identity theft or other unfair practices. Before making a large purchase, customers should consider checking with other retailers to make sure that the item is not less expensive elsewhere. In addition, you should discuss your potential purchase with a trusted friend or family member who has made a similar purchase before. Federal law requires that warranties must be available for consumers to review before purchasing a product. Customers should make sure to keep receipts for large purchases so that a seller cannot deny your claim.  

Kamalpreet


Purchase products with certification marks

The government provides many rights to consumers such as Right to safety, Right to choose, Right to be heard, Right to be informed, Right to consumer education and Right to seek redressal. Various laws and acts have been enacted from time to time so as to settle consumer's problems. Consumer courts are also set up to settle consumer grievances and entertain consumer problems. Nowadays, people are getting more fraud calls than ever. Purchase products with only certification marks. Taking cash memo along with purchased goods is very important. We should not be swayed by false advertisements.

Dr Jasdeep Kaur


Organise frequent awareness campaigns

Consumer awareness is an act of making sure that the buyer or the consumer is aware of the information about products, goods, services, and consumers rights. Consumer awareness is important so that buyer can take the right decision and make the right choice. Consumers have the right to information, right to choose, right to safety and should not feel cheated in any sense. Awareness campaigns can be organised so that the consumers can be protected from exploitation and their rights can be safeguarded. 

Khushboo Singla


Well-labelled products to ensure transparency

Consumer rights must be protected with the help of proper legislation followed by governance by keeping a check on quality, rate and supply line. The culprits who cheat the customers must be punished without any delay. The officials concerned must go around and usher in confidence among the individuals and organisations responsible for protecting the rights of the consumers. This will usher in confidence among the consumers and instill a fear of law among those who cheat the consumers. All commodities being marketed must be well-labelled especially for price and the public must be made aware that it must not pay higher than the price mentioned. The department must set up a separate telephone number in every city to enable the public to lodge a complaint against those cheating the consumers and immediate action must be taken without delay.

Dr G Dev


Consumer protection to safeguard their interest

Consumer Protection Act, 1986, is an act of the Parliament of India enacted in December 24, 1986 to protect the interests of consumers in India. It makes provision for the establishment of the consumer council and other authorities for the settlement of the consumer disputes and other matters related to the protection of the rights of the consumer. Proper information about the right to consumer protection must be disseminated among people. It will go a long way in safeguarding the consumers from the fraudulent and unfair practices of the suppliers and sellers. Proper knowledge must be provided to the consumers regarding this right through seminars and workshops.

Manpriya Kaur


Boost reach and appeal of ‘Jago Grahak Jago’

Consumer rights are basically the rights of consumers on the goods and services they purchase. The government has started the campaigns like 'Jago grahak Jago' to create awareness among the citizens. Various consumer rights include the right to choose, right to be informed, right to seek redressal against unfair trade practice and exploitation and the right to represent in consumer courts. 

Shivani Aggarwal


Don't negotiate with the sellers

Consumer right protection is in the hands of the people. If people refuse to negotiate with the sellers and become aware of their rights, then this will be a step towards ensuring honesty and an efficient economy. 

Paneet Kaur


Be more vigilant of the market pressures   

Government and NGOs should come forward to organise seminars and lectures to bring awareness among the consumers. Another issue is quick redressal of the cases in the consumer courts. The delay in the verdict is totally against the consumer rights. The consumers should themselves not hesitate to lodge a complaint if their rights are encroached upon. We should remember that the consumer is the king. A consumer should always ask for the original receipts while purchasing anything so that later on if there is a need to complain, then the receipt can be used to support the evidences. So, the consumer has himself to be vigilant regarding his rights. 

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi


Stringent punishment for fraudsters

In order to resolve the complaints, grievance redressal machinery should be established by the government by appointing appropriate presiding officers. Companies should provide toll free numbers for consumer complaints and should also answer the calls. Awareness should also be created about online shopping. Because customers are forced to take the products without being seen, stringent punishment should be given to the wrong-doers.

Ritu Priya


Consumer Protection Bill a boon

The protection of consumers’ rights in India, like in most of the less developed countries, has always remained at the lowest ebb. There is a low level of literacy, ignorance and the absence of customer awareness and education of the market transactions among most of the consumers. As a result of this knowledge imbalance, consumers get sub-standard goods and services, fake and expired products. Unfair trade practices need to be done away with. Consumers should have the right to redress exploitative or unfair trade practices. However, consumers' rights which contribute towards a fairer, safer and healthier society, and a more equitable and efficient economy, cannot be protected unless they are properly adhered to. And, for this, The Consumer Protection Bill (CPB), 2018, requires to be amended to make it more comprehensive to empower consumers as the new legislation takes a decade or more to settle disputes, and has enough judicial proceedings in many aspects. In nutshell, consumer awareness and education plays a pivotal role to protect a consumer's rights. Therefore, steps should be taken to conduct education and capacity building programmes to raise awareness about a range of issues that affect consumers. 

Ravi Chander Garg


Beware of unfair trade practices

The right to information about the quality, purity, price and standard of good and service are a must for the awareness of the consumer. But he has to face some unfair practices used by the shopkeepers, sellers of good and services.  Under these conditions, his rights must be protected by various rules and regulation laid down in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Under this law, every individual, firm, organisation has the right to exercise their consumer rights for the purchase of goods and services made by them. His rights must be protected from all kinds of hazards in purchasing goods and services, right to information, right to free choice of goods and services, right to be heard in all decision making and the right of complete education. If there is any infringement of rights of the consumer, then he may file a complaint in the consumer court for the same. 

Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui


Consumer protection need of the hour  

The consumers should be educated about their rights and responsibilities. Their grievances should be redressed. The judicial body requires to provide them with justice. And if the consumer complaints are dealt with swiftly, it actually helps with customer retention and also maintains the integrity of the company.

Arushi Puri


Your product, your rights

Consumers have the right to be protected against marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property. Consumers must be aware of their rights. The 'Consumer Protection Act 1986' gives a consumer full freedom to make a choice or return or substitute faulty items. Consumers can protect themselves if they are aware of prices, labels and contracts. Consumers should go for smart shopping and understand the sale terminology and keep receipts and warranties.

Shiwani


Act more vigilant

It is the legitimate duty of the government to ensure the security and protection of the consumer for the smooth growth of the country. Major steps that can be taken include consumer's awareness of their rights and responsibilities. Their grievances should be redressed and the consumers should be empowered to take necessary action to stop any unnecessary price hike.

Bhavya Sharma


Make use of social media to create awareness

Consumer Protection Act, 1986, seeks to protect the interests of consumers against the ill practices of the brokers, wholesalers, retailers and many others. For a country like India, where a majority of population lacks awareness, the government should take strict action against such deficiencies by creating awareness programmes to apprise the consumers of their rights. There should be active participation of the officials to get the matters sorted at the earliest. The social media can also play a vital role in the awareness programmes.

Jyoti Gupta


Dissatisfaction put forward through articles

A consumer is the fundamental participant in the market. Consumer dissatisfaction started coming out through articles and newspapers. The level of dissatisfaction with sellers and manufacturers and their practices resulted in consumers raising their voice. 

Muskan


Public awareness campaigns

When it comes to consumer rights, most of the citizens hardly know about them. For protection of consumer rights, it is essential for the consumers to know about the basic consumer rights. Citizens, who are aware of the rights, hardly take any action in this regard. Public awareness campaigns organised by the government can help a lot. People must be made aware of such rights. Use of media in creating the awareness will have more impact on the citizens. Online special help desk must be created for the people so that they can get information or any help needed regarding their rights.

Brahamjyot Kaur


Reinstate faith in judicial system

Each and every product that is produced or manufactured has a set target consumer. But the manufacturers, for higher profits, ditch the consumers by adulteration or duplicity. In order to protect the consumers from becoming puppets, it’s essential that consumers should behave like hawks and scrutinise each product. Further, they should be given information regarding consumer courts, where they can file complaints if cheated. Lastly, the courts should give speedy results and stern action should be taken against the offenders.

Neha Jindal


Right to file complaint

You should learn your basic consumer rights. Check that professionals are licensed. Before entering into contract with someone for professional services, such as lawyers, contractors, plumbers or others, you should make sure that they are appropriately licensed before hiring them. Be careful about making online purchases. When you do, only provide your contact information and credit card companies at trusted websites. If you are not satisfied with the retailer’s response, you have the right to file a formal complaint against the business. Just as you have consumer rights, you also have an obligation to speak up when your rights are violated and express your concerns.

Jasmine Kaur Bajaj


Awareness about parameters

Consumer rights can be protected by creating awareness about various parameters required while purchasing products. This includes information about quality marks, date of expiry and cost comparison to escape being cheated. Self-consciousness must be created among consumers.

Krishna

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