Key points
- The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 replaced the 1986 Act and covers online, teleshopping, direct-selling and multi-level-marketing purchases.
- Complaints go to the District, State or National Commission according to the value paid: up to ₹50 lakh, up to ₹2 crore, or more.
- You can file where you live or work, and no fee is payable where the value paid is up to ₹5 lakh.
- A complaint must ordinarily be filed within two years of the date the cause of action arose.
- The Central Consumer Protection Authority can act against misleading advertisements and order recalls of unsafe goods.
- In Chhattisgarh, each district has a District Commission, and the State Commission sits in Raipur.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 lets you seek a refund, replacement, repair or compensation when goods are defective, services are deficient, or a business uses an unfair trade practice. It came into force on 20 July 2020, replacing the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. A consumer complaint is heard by a Consumer Commission, still widely called a consumer court, and the process is simple enough for an individual to file and argue a case without a lawyer.
The 2019 Act changed several things that matter to ordinary buyers. It covers online purchases, lets you file where you live or work, adds product liability and mediation, and creates a regulator, the Central Consumer Protection Authority, with power to act against misleading advertisements.
Who is a consumer?
Under Section 2(7), a consumer is a person who buys goods or hires or avails services for consideration, whether paid, promised or partly paid, including on instalments. It also covers anyone who uses the goods or services with the buyer's approval, such as a family member.
The definition expressly includes purchases made offline or online, and through teleshopping, direct selling or multi-level marketing. Under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, online platforms must appoint a grievance officer, who must acknowledge a complaint within forty-eight hours and resolve it within one month.
A person who buys goods for resale or for a commercial purpose is not a consumer, but buying goods to earn your own livelihood through self-employment does not count as commercial. Free services and contracts of personal service fall outside the Act.
Your rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Section 2(9) lists six consumer rights:
- to be protected against goods, products or services that are hazardous to life and property;
- to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, products or services;
- to be assured, wherever possible, of access to a variety of goods, products or services at competitive prices;
- to be heard, and to have consumers' interests receive due consideration at appropriate forums;
- to seek redressal against unfair or restrictive trade practices and unscrupulous exploitation; and
- to consumer awareness.
A complaint usually rests on one of the grounds the Act defines: a defect in goods, a deficiency in service, an unfair or restrictive trade practice, a price above the one displayed or agreed, or goods and services that are hazardous to life and safety.
Unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements
Section 2(47) defines unfair trade practices broadly. Besides false claims about quality, price or origin, the 2019 Act adds three practices that affect everyday buyers:
- not issuing a proper bill or cash memo;
- refusing to take back defective goods, or to withdraw deficient services and refund the price, within the period stated in the bill or, if none is stated, within thirty days; and
- disclosing a consumer's personal information given in confidence, unless the law requires it or it is in the public interest.
A misleading advertisement is one that falsely describes a product or service, is likely to mislead buyers about its nature, quantity or quality, or deliberately hides important information (Section 2(28)). The Central Consumer Protection Authority can order it withdrawn or changed, fine the manufacturer or endorser up to ₹10 lakh, or up to ₹50 lakh for a repeat contravention, and bar an endorser from endorsing for up to one year, or three years for a repeat. A manufacturer or service provider who causes a false or misleading advertisement also commits a criminal offence under Section 89, punishable with up to two years' imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority
Section 10 creates the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to protect the rights of consumers as a class. It can investigate violations, file complaints before the Commissions, and order recalls of unsafe goods, withdrawal of services and refunds (Section 20). It has also issued guidelines against misleading advertisements and against dark patterns on websites and apps, such as charges quietly added at checkout. Complaints affecting consumers as a class can be sent in writing or electronically to the District Collector, a regional office of the CCPA or the CCPA itself (Section 17). The CCPA does not, however, award compensation to individuals.
Product liability
Chapter VI lets a consumer claim compensation for harm caused by a defective product from its manufacturer, service provider or seller. Harm includes personal injury, illness or death, damage to property other than the product itself, and mental agony that accompanies such injury or damage.
A manufacturer is liable if the product has a manufacturing or design defect, departs from its specifications, does not conform to an express warranty, or lacks adequate instructions or warnings, even if the manufacturer was not negligent (Section 84). A seller who is not the manufacturer is liable in narrower cases, for example where it exercised substantial control over the product, altered it or gave its own warranty (Section 86). A claim can fail where the product was misused, altered or modified (Section 87).
Which consumer court has jurisdiction?
Pecuniary jurisdiction depends on the value of the goods or services paid as consideration, not on the compensation you claim. The present limits were set by rules in 2021, and the Supreme Court upheld this basis in 2025.
| Commission | Value paid for goods or services | Where it sits | First appeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Commission | Up to ₹50 lakh | Each district | State Commission, within 45 days, after depositing 50% of the amount ordered |
| State Commission | Above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore | The State capital; for Chhattisgarh, Raipur | National Commission, within 30 days |
| National Commission | Above ₹2 crore | New Delhi | Supreme Court, within 30 days |
Territorially, you can file where the opposite party lives, carries on business or has a branch office, where the cause of action arose, or where you live or personally work for gain (Section 34(2)). A complaint that a contract term is unfair goes to the State Commission, or to the National Commission where the value paid exceeds ₹10 crore.
How to file a consumer complaint
- Write to the seller or service provider first, describing the problem and the remedy you want, and keep a copy. A legal notice is not required by law, but a clear written record helps.
- Gather the bill or invoice, warranty card, correspondence, photographs and any repair or inspection report.
- Draft the complaint with the names and addresses of the parties, the facts in order, the defect or deficiency, and the relief you seek: refund, replacement, repair, compensation and costs.
- File it online on e-Jagriti, the Department of Consumer Affairs' platform that absorbed the e-Daakhil filing system in January 2025, or in person at the Commission. No fee is payable where the value paid is up to ₹5 lakh; above that, the fee rises in slabs.
- The Commission decides whether to admit the complaint, ordinarily within twenty-one days, and if it does not decide in that time, the complaint is treated as admitted. It cannot reject a complaint without hearing you (Section 36).
- Notice goes to the opposite party, which must reply within thirty days, extendable by fifteen days. The Commission aims to decide the case within three months of notice, or five months where goods need laboratory testing (Section 38).
You may appear in person, through an authorised agent or through an advocate. If the complaint succeeds, the Commission can order a refund, replacement or repair, compensation for loss or injury, costs and, in suitable cases, punitive damages (Section 39).
Time limit, mediation and appeals
A complaint must be filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action arose. A Commission can admit a later complaint if you show sufficient cause for the delay (Section 69).
After admission, if a settlement seems possible, the Commission can refer the dispute to mediation with the written consent of both parties (Section 37). Mediation takes place in the consumer mediation cell attached to the Commission, and an agreed settlement is recorded in the Commission's order (Chapter V). Some disputes are never sent to mediation, including those involving medical negligence resulting in grievous injury or death, or serious allegations of fraud or forgery.
An order of the District Commission can be appealed to the State Commission within forty-five days, after depositing fifty per cent of the amount ordered. Further appeals lie to the National Commission and then to the Supreme Court, each within thirty days. Disobeying a Commission's order is itself punishable with one month to three years' imprisonment, a fine of ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh, or both (Section 72).
Practical steps for consumers in Chhattisgarh
- Call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, or register a grievance at consumerhelpline.gov.in (opens in a new tab). The helpline takes the grievance up with the company before any litigation.
- For claims up to ₹50 lakh, file before the District Commission of the district where you live or work; you need not travel to the seller's district.
- Claims above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore, and appeals from District Commissions, go to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Raipur.
- Homebuyers may approach a Consumer Commission even for a project registered with the Chhattisgarh Real Estate Regulatory Authority; the Supreme Court held in Imperia Structures Ltd. v. Anil Patni (2020) that the two remedies can run side by side.
- Claims for injury or death in a road accident are not consumer complaints; they go to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (see our guide to road accident laws).
Our consumer disputes page describes the complaints and appeals the firm handles before these Commissions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file a consumer complaint without a lawyer?
Yes. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 allows you to file and argue your own complaint, or to act through an authorised agent. Many consumers do so for straightforward refund or deficiency claims. A lawyer can help where the facts are complex, the amount is large, the opposite party contests liability in detail, or an appeal is involved.
What is the time limit to file a consumer complaint?
A complaint must be filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action arose, under Section 69 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. If you are late, you can ask the Commission to condone the delay by showing sufficient cause, but admission is then at its discretion, so it is better to file within time.
Can I file a consumer complaint for an online purchase?
Yes. The 2019 Act expressly covers goods and services bought online, by teleshopping, through direct selling or through multi-level marketing. You can complain against the seller and, depending on its role, the e-commerce platform. Raise the problem with the platform's grievance officer first, then file before the District Commission where you live or work.
Which consumer court should I approach?
It depends on the value of the goods or services you paid for, not the compensation you want. Up to ₹50 lakh, file before the District Commission; above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore, before the State Commission; above ₹2 crore, before the National Commission. You can file where you live or work, where the opposite party is based, or where the cause of action arose.
Is there a fee for filing a consumer complaint?
No fee is payable where the value of the goods or services paid for is up to ₹5 lakh. Above that, the fee rises in slabs with the value involved. It can be paid online when you file on the e-Jagriti platform, or at the Commission when you file in person. Keep the payment receipt with your case papers.
Law and judgments referred to
- Consumer Protection Act, 2019
- Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021
- Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020
- Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020
- Consumer Protection (Mediation) Rules, 2020
- Central Consumer Protection Authority guidelines on misleading advertisements (2022) and dark patterns (2023)
- Imperia Structures Ltd. v. Anil Patni, Supreme Court of India, 2020
This guide explains the general law as it stood on 24 September 2026. It is not legal advice. For advice on a particular matter, consult an advocate.
