Consumer forums face huge backlog as Maharashtra case remains pending for 32 years

A consumer dispute in Maharashtra has remained unresolved for 32 years, making it the oldest case identified in a report submitted to India’s Supreme Court. The report described widespread vacancies and long delays in consumer commissions across the country.

The Maharashtra case is not an isolated example. A matter in Kerala has been pending since December 1995, while a case filed in Uttar Pradesh dates from July 2000. Other state forums in Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and Assam have cases pending for almost two decades. Goa, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Rajasthan each have cases that have remained unresolved for more than 15 years.

The report, prepared by lawyers assisting the court as amici curiae, covered responses from 26 states and union territories. It examined pending cases, vacancies, average disposal times, delays in uploading orders and other administrative issues. Across the jurisdictions covered, total pendency exceeded 100,000 cases, reaching 113,276.

Maharashtra had the largest backlog, with 34,203 cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 15,657, Karnataka with 9,244, Haryana with 8,719 and Gujarat with 6,414. A separate report from National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission President Justice AP Sahi said the national commission had 18,767 cases pending as of July 31. Three vacancies remained unfilled, while two members continued on extensions.

The reports followed the Supreme Court’s decision to examine reforms in the consumer court system through a suo motu proceeding. On Sept. 2, Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the central government to consider Sahi’s report and take immediate remedial steps. The court also asked all states and union territories to respond to the amicus report and scheduled the next hearing for Oct. 1.