1. RIGHT TO REPRESENTATIONBY
Adv. Shirish V. Deshpande
Mumbai Grahak Panchayat

2. UN GUIDELINES FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION
UN Guidelines recognize following 8 consumer rights :
Right to Basic Needs
Right to Safety
Right to Information
Right to Choice
Right to Representation
Right to Redressal
Right to Consumer Education
Right to Healthy Environment

3. What does Right to Representation mean to Common Man?
The right to be heard and to be assured that consumers’ interest will receive due consideration at appropriate forums.
The Right to Representation is the right which the consumers can assert in a collective or representative manner or even in an individual capacity.
This Right has application at Macro and Micro level.

4. How far Right to Representation Has Succeeded in India?
India, one of the first countries to adopt UN Guidelines.
CPA enacted in 1986 recognized Right to Representation.
CPA created Consumer Protection Councils at District, State & National levels for promoting and protecting consumer rights.

5. Role of Consumer Protection Councils
Provides platform to assert consumer grievances in presence of service providers, manufacturers / producers and govt. officials / minister.
Can lead to change in policies, formulation of new consumer oriented policies or decisions.
Can lead to grievance redressal
Can lead to system correction

6. Consumer Courts & Right to Representation
Opportunity for consumer activists to be appointed on Forum / Commissions.
Opportunity to represent consumers before Consumer Courts.
One consumer can represent numerous consumers.

7. Right to Representation under Electricity Act 2003
Representation to consumer groups on CERC
Representation to consumer groups on SERCs
Representation to consumer rep on CGRF

8. Right to Representation in Telecom Sector
TRAI issues consultation papers and invites suggestions / objections from stake holders
Several consumer groups actively participate in consultation process and make their voice heard
Recent decision of TRAI to restrict TV ad duration is proof of successful consumer representation

9. CUTS / IDCG SURVEY
Only 23 % consumers surveyed aware about process of consultation or consumer representation
Only 28 % of such consumers participated in public hearing / consultation
Comparatively western and southern India has higher level of awareness
In rural areas, awareness was as low as 18 %

10. Hurdles in Consumer Representation
Lack of Consumer Awareness
Lack of funding
Lack of expertise
Lack of training facilities

11. Effective Consumer Representation A Way Forward
Consumer groups to focus on specific areas / issues
To ensure adequate training for consumer representation
To ensure adequate “Consumer Funding” for consumer groups by amending policies / laws
Consumer bodies to share and pool know-how and expertise

12. Effective Consumer Representation A Way Forward (contd.)
Make concerted efforts to activate Consumer Protection Councils at District, State and National level
Make changes in CPA to ensure speedy, simple and inexpensive redressal of consumer complaints
Create wide spread consumer awareness for their active participation

13. Thank You