GUEST TALK ON CONSUMER LAW AND PRACTICE

Consumer protection is a crucial aspect of any market economy, designed to safeguard the interests of consumers and ensure that they are not exploited or harmed by businesses. In India, consumer protection is a relatively new concept, having gained significant momentum in the past few decades. With the rise of e-commerce and the expansion of consumer markets, there is a growing need for effective consumer protection laws and regulations. The rapid growth of e-commerce in India has posed new challenges for consumer protection. The guest talk was organised to understand consumer protection laws and statutes in a better and practical manner in order to help consumer law students to know about the career opportunities in the field of Consumer Protection. The lecture imparted clarity about the subject which will in turn lead to a better understanding of the rights of the consumer, its evolution and its future development. Moreover, it also helped in understanding the different dispute redressal systems. In the second semester, law students are currently studying the course on Consumer Protection Act & Motor Vehicles Act and hence were the target audience. The invited speaker for the lecture was Advocate Mithil Sampat who is a practising advocate in the Bombay High Court. The session was conducted in the Central Block Auditorium in CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Pune Lavasa Campus at 9 AM on Saturday 4th March, 2023.

The lecture covered Indian consumer protection laws which provide several legal remedies for consumers who have suffered harm or injury due to consumer rights violations. If a consumer suffers harm or injury due to a defect in a product, the manufacturer of the product is liable. Consumer protection laws in India apply to a range of industries, including airlines, banking, insurance, and medical services. In the airline industry, consumers are protected from flight cancellations and delays. In the banking industry, unfair charges and delayed loan sanctions are addressed under consumer protection laws. In the insurance industry, full disclosure is required, and consumers must inform the insurance company if a mishap occurs. In the medical industry, consumers are protected from overcharging, and doctors are not held liable if they have followed ordinary protocol. However, if a consumer suffers harm or injury due to a defect in a product, the manufacturer is liable.

Two significant case laws which impacted consumer protection laws in India in recent years were discussed. The first was the Maggie case, where it was discovered that harmful substances were being used in Maggie noodles. This case led to new regulations for food safety and stricter enforcement of food standards. The second case was the Volkswagen case, where the company manipulated the market by hiding the actual pollution caused by its cars. This case led to new regulations for emissions testing and greater transparency in the automotive industry.

The Indian Government has introduced several provisions to protect consumers from unfair trade practices, such as the ability to declare an unfair contract as void. There are also provisions for criminal cases related to adulterants and suspicious goods. Depending on the severity of the violation, penalties for consumer rights violations can range from a fine to imprisonment.