Date: 2024-01-17Category: Not ApplicableState: Tamil NaduCountry: India
CO-OPERATION, FOOD AND CONSUMER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT - Framing the Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection (State Consumer Protection Council and District Consumer Protection Council), Rules, 2023. ..
**Executive Summary**
The document is the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, dated January 17, 2024, publishing the Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection (State Consumer Protection Council and District Consumer Protection Council) Rules, 2023, issued by the Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection Department. These rules define the composition, term of office, meeting procedures, and allowances for members of the State and District Consumer Protection Councils. The document was published as G.O. Ms. No. 157, dated 29th November 2023, under the powers conferred by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Title and Scope:**
* The rules are called the Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection (State Consumer Protection Council and District Consumer Protection Council) Rules, 2023.
* The rules define the terms used within the document.
* **State Consumer Protection Council:**
* The government will establish the council, consisting of up to 23 members.
* Members include the Minister in-charge of Consumer Affairs (Chairperson), members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly, government representatives, consumer organizations, and experts.
* The Secretary to Government, Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, will be the Member-Secretary.
* Non-official members will have a three-year term.
* Non-official members can resign with notice to the Chairperson.
* The Government can remove non-official members for recorded reasons after providing an opportunity.
* Vacancies will be filled by fresh appointments from the same member category.
* Meetings will ordinarily be held in Chennai, presided over by the Chairperson, with one-third quorum.
* Notice of meetings must be given 15 days prior by post or e-mail.
* Minutes must be prepared within one week.
* The council is classified as a First Class Committee for allowance purposes.
* Non-official members receive daily and travel allowances as per government orders.
* Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly are eligible to draw the daily allowance and travelling allowance admissible to them as per the orders issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat, respectively.
* **District Consumer Protection Council:**
* The government will establish a council for each district, consisting of up to 24 members.
* The Collector (except in Chennai) or the Additional Registrar (Consumer Affairs) for Chennai will be the Chairperson.
* Members include a Member of Parliament, Legislative Assembly members, government representatives, consumer organizations, farmers, traders, industrialists, trade union representatives, Panchayat representatives, and a member of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
* The District Supply and Consumer Protection Officer (or the Joint Commissioner for Chennai) will be the Member-Secretary.
* Non-official members will have a three-year term.
* Non-official members can resign with notice to the Chairperson.
* The Government can remove non-official members for recorded reasons after providing an opportunity.
* Vacancies will be filled by fresh appointments from the same member category.
* Meetings will ordinarily be held in the district headquarters, presided over by the Chairperson, with one-third quorum.
* Notice of meetings must be given 15 days prior by post or e-mail.
* Minutes must be prepared within one week.
* The council is classified as a Second Class Committee for allowance purposes.
* Non-official members receive daily and travel allowances as per government orders.
* Members of Parliament and the members of Legislative Assembly are eligible to draw the daily allowance and travelling allowance admissible to them as per the orders issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat, respectively.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** *Members of State and District Consumer Protection Councils*
* **Impact:** The document defines the composition, roles, responsibilities, term of office, resignation procedures, meeting procedures, and allowance eligibility for members of the councils.
* **Action Required:** Members must adhere to the rules for meetings, resignations, and allowance claims. They must understand their roles in the councils.
**Stakeholder:** *Government of Tamil Nadu (Specifically, the Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection Department)*
* **Impact:** The document provides the framework for establishing and managing the State and District Consumer Protection Councils.
* **Action Required:** The government must establish the councils according to the defined composition, fill vacancies, and oversee the functioning of the councils.
**Stakeholder:** *Consumers in Tamil Nadu*
* **Impact:** The rules aim to strengthen consumer protection mechanisms at the state and district levels, ensuring representation and redressal of grievances.
* **Action Required:** Consumers should be aware of the existence of these councils and utilize them for addressing consumer-related issues.
Key Entities Referenced
Consumer Protection Act, 2019: Central Act which provides the legal framework for consumer protection in India; empowering consumers and establishing mechanisms for dispute resolution.
Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection (State Consumer Protection Council and District Consumer Protection Council) Rules, 2023: Rules framed by the Tamil Nadu government to operationalize and govern the State and District Consumer Protection Councils.
Tamil Nadu State Consumer Protection Council: A state-level council established to promote and protect consumer rights, as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
District Consumer Protection Council: A district-level council established to promote and protect consumer rights, as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
CO-OPERATION, FOOD AND CONSUMER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT: The Tamil Nadu government department responsible for framing and implementing consumer protection rules and regulations.