Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has stated that State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) was functioning without infrastructure for past several years and conducting cases in Circuit House Kohima and now mostly in Dimapur District Court. NVCO said that since there was no place, the commission brings case files and office files from home to the place where cases were to be conducted.
NVCO pointed out that the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 added more facilities for consumers to be attached to each consumer disputes redressal commission, etc. However, NVCO said that the state government was yet to take initiative for setting up of such facilities. Though the Act also created Central Consumer Protection Authority, it said awareness was still lacking amongst consumers in Nagaland. NVCO said that consumer commission has the power to order removal/replacement of defect/deficiencies in goods and services, refund of price paid, compensation for loss/injury suffered, discontinuation of unfair/restrictive trade practices, award adequate cost to parties etc. Besides, NVCO said an aggrieved consumer could call toll free helpline 1800-345-3701 to assert one’s rights, whenever necessary.