229 Posts Needed To Strengthen Consumer Commissions In Kerala; High Court Seeks Govt Progress Report
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (10 September) directed the State government to apprise the progress made towards creating 229 posts for the purpose of infrastructural development of Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions across the State, including the State Commission. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V. M issued the order while considering a...
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (10 September) directed the State government to apprise the progress made towards creating 229 posts for the purpose of infrastructural development of Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions across the State, including the State Commission.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V. M issued the order while considering a PIL relating to the infrastructural development of Consumer Redressal Commission across the State.
By an earlier order dated 05 August, the Court had directed the Civil Police Officers presently assigned in court duties in the Magistrate and Sessions Courts to be deployed, by way of additional duty and without creation of any additional posts, to the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions in all districts.
The personnel are deployed to assist the Commissions in the execution of summons, warrants and orders, with particular emphasis on the attachment of properties as contemplated under Section 71 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
According to Section 71 of the Act, every order made by a District Commission, State Commission or the National Commission shall be enforced by it in the same manner as if it were a decree made by a Court in a suit before it.
In the recent order, the High Court has directed that the interim arrangement may be continued until the new posts are created.
The Special government pleader submitted that the financial approval for the posts is pending before the concerned department. It was informed that the financial sanction was expected to be accorded within four weeks.
The Court thus adjourned the matter to October 7, 2026 and expressed hope that effective steps would have been taken by then towards creation of the posts.
The court had also directed the respondents to file an affidavit on or before the next hearing setting out the progress made towards creation of the posts.
Case Title: Adv. J Surya v State of Kerala and Ors. and connected case
Case No: WP(PIL) 53/ 2026 and connected case
Counsel for Petitioner: R. Rajasree, A.B. Beenu, Aparna Rajan, Rinu S. Aswan
Counsel for Respondent: C. Dinesh (CGC) K.P. Jayachandran (Addl. AG), K.C. Vincent (Addl. AG)