Ch-5
Consumer
Rights
Q1. What are consumer rights?
Ans- Consumer rights are the basic rights granted
to a consumer in order to protect them from being exploited by the seller.
Q2. Who are
producers and consumers ?
Ans. We participate in the market
both as producers and consumers.
2. As producers of goods and
services we could be working in any of the sectors such as agriculture,
industry or services.
3. Consumers participate in the
market when they purchase goods and services that they need. These are the
final goods that people as consumers use.
Q3. What are the various ways by
which consumers are being exploited by the sellers?
Ans- 1. High
prices- Traders can charge a price higher the price prevailing in the
market because of the ignorance and urgency of the customer.
2. Underweight and under measurement- By
their cleverness, some traders cheat the customers by resorting to underweight
and under-measurement tactics.
3. Substandard quality- Some traders cheat
the customers by giving them articles of substandard quality.
4. Adulteration and impurity- In order to
earn high profits, some manufactures of oil, ghee, butter etc. scoop to
adulteration.
5. Poor after scale service- Many devices
like washing machine, refrigerator etc. need adequate after scale service but
the supplier fail to provide the requisite- after scale service and resort to
delaying tactics.
Q4. Why is there a
need for rules and regulations in the market ?
Ans. Rules and regulations are required for the protection of
the consumers in the marketplace.
2) Individual consumers often find themselves in a week
position.
3) Whenever there is a complaint regarding a good or service
that had been bought, the seller tries to shift all the responsibility on to
the buyer.
4) Hence, there is a need for rules and regulations to ensure
protection for consumers.
Q5. What factors
led to the growth of consumer movement in India ?
Ans. 1. The consumer
movement arose out of dissatisfaction of the consumers as many unfair practices
were being indulged in by the sellers.
2. There was no legal system available to consumers to protect
them from exploitation in the market place.
3. It was preassumed that it was the responsibility of
consumers to be careful while buying a commodity or service.
4. In india , the consumers movement as a social force
originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of
consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices.
Q6. Trace the evolution of the consumer movement
in India .
Or
Describe the activities taken under consumer
movement during 1960s and 1970s. What was its result ?
Ans. 1. Rampant food shortages , hoarding, black marketing ,
adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an
organized form in the 1960s.
2. Till the 1970s consumer organizations were largely engaged
in writing articles and holding exhibitions.
3. They formed consumer groups to look into the malpractices
in ration shops and overcrowding in the road passenger transport.
4. Because of all these efforts , the movement succeded in
bringing pressure on business , firms as well as government to correct business
conduct. A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian government was the enactment
of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, popularly known as COPRA.
Q7. State the five
features of COPRA.
Ans. Consumer Protection Act ( COPRA) was enacted by the
government of India in 1986.
2. Under this act
consumer redressel agencies were established at national , state and district
levels. These agencies were required to solve a case within 3 months.
3. A separate consumer awareness ministry was established in
the cabinet under this act.
4. The most important feature of COPRA was the establishment
of a three tier quasi judicial machinery at the district, state and national
levels.
5. Under this act few rights called as consumer rights were
guaranteed to all the consumers in India.
Q8. Write a short
note on
a)
Right to safety
·
While
using many goods and services, we as
consumers, have the right to be protected against the marketing of goods and
delivery of services that are hazardous to life and property.
·
Producers
need to strictly follow the required safety rules and regulations.
b)
Right to be Informed
Consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars
of goods and services that they purchase consumers can then complain and ask
for compensation or replacement if the product prove to be defective in any
manner.
c)
Right to Choose
Any consumer who receives a service in whatever capacity, regardless
of age, gender and nature of service, has the right to choose whether to
continue to receive the service or not similarly in case of buying product it
is completely a choice of the buyer to decide what product to be brought and in
what quantity.
d)
Right to seek Redressal
Consumers have the
right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation. If any
damage is done to a consumer, she has the right to get compensation depending
on the degree of damage.
e)
Right to represent
·
Consumer
Protection Act has enabled us to represent in the consumer courts.
·
Under
COPRA a three –tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district , state and
national levels was set up for redressal of consumer disputes.
·
The district level court deals with the cases
involving claims and RS 1 crore and the national level court deals with cases
involving claims excedding Rs 1 crore.
·
If
a case is dismissed in district level court, the consumer can also appeal in
state and then in National level courses.
Q9. How can
consumer be protected from Hazardous goods or services ?
Ans. While using many goods
and services, we as consumers, have the right to be protected against
the marketing of goods and delivery of services that are hazardous to life and
property.
2.
Producers
need to strictly follow the required safety rules and regulations.
Eg. Pressure cookers
have a safety valve which, if it is defective, can cause a serious accident. The manufacturers of the safety
valve have to ensure high quality of valve used.
Q10. What information is needed on the packed
goods ?
Or
What kind of information / detail is provided to a consumer
with respect to a product ?
Ans. When we buy any commodity, we will find certain
details given on the
packing. These
details are about ingredients used, price, batch number, date of manufacture,
expiry date and the address of the manufacturer.
2. When we buy medicines, on the packets, we might find ‘directions for proper use’ and information relating to side effects and risks
associated with usage of that medicine.
3. When you buy
garments, we will find information on ‘instructions for washing’.
Q11. Write a short note on RTI .
Or
How has the Right to Information been expanded to cover
various services provided by the government ?
Ans. The right to information has been expanded to
cover various services provided by the Government. In October 2005, the Government
of India enacted a law, popularly known as RTI (Right to Information) Act,
which ensures its
citizens all the
information about the functions of
government departments.
Q12. Write a short note on consumer forums .
Ans. The consumer movement in India has led to the
formation of various
organisations
locally known as consumer forums or consumer protection councils. They guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer
court. On many occasions, they also
represent individual consumers in the consumer courts.
These voluntary
organisations also receive financial support from the
government for
creating awareness among the people.
Q13. What is the judicial structure of consumer disputes in
India ?
Ans. Under COPRA, a
three-tier quasijudicial machinery at the district,
state and national
levels was set up for redressal of consumer disputes.
1.
The
district level court deals with the cases involving claims upto Rs 20
Lakhs.
2.
the
state level courts between Rs 20 lakhs and Rs 1 crore .
3.
the
national level court deals with cases involving claims exceeding Rs 1 crore.
If a case is
dismissed in district level court, the consumer can also appeal
in state and then in
National level courts.
Q14. Why is there a need for consumer awareness ? What steps
the government is taking in this respect ?
Ans. When
we as consumers become conscious of our rights, while purchasing various goods
and services, we will be able to discriminate and make informed choices. This calls
for acquiring the knowledge and skill to become a
well-informed
consumer.
Advertisements in
newspapers and magazines , posters published by the government, awareness
through electronic media like television etc are the various steps that the
government is taking in this respect.
Or
What are the limitations / drawbacks of the consumer movements
/ organizations / COPRA in India ?
Or
“The consumer redressal
process is becoming cumbersome, expensive and time consuming”. Explain
Ans. The consumer redressal process is becoming
cumbersome, expensive and time consuming.
2. Many a time, consumers are required to engage
lawyers.
3. In most purchases cash memos are not issued
hence evidence is not easy to gather.
4. The existing laws also are not very clear on
the issue of compensation to consumers injured by defective products.
5. After more than 25 years of the enactment of COPRA, consumer
awareness in India
is spreading but slowly.
6. The enforcement of laws that protect workers,
especially in the unorganised sectors is weak.
7. Rules and regulations for working of markets
are often not followed.
Q16. Why are quality measurements used to satisfy a consumer ?
Ans. While
buying many commodities, on the cover, you might have seen a logo with the letters
ISI, Agmark or Hallmark.
2.
These logos and certification help consumers get assured of quality while
purchasing the goods and services.
3.
The organisations that monitor and issue these certificates allow producers to
use their logos provided they follow certain quality standards.
4.
Though
these organisations develop quality standards for many products, it is
not compulsory for
all the producers to follow standards.
5.
However, for some products that affect the
health and safety of consumers or of products of mass consumption like LPG
cylinders, food colours and additives, cement, packaged drinking water, it is
mandatory on the part of the producers to get certified by these organizations.
Q17. How do you exercise the right to seek redressal ?
Ans. Consumers have the right to seek redressal
against unfair trade
practices and
exploitation.
2.
If any damage is done to a consumer, she has the right to get
compensation
depending on the
degree of damage.
3.
There
is a need to provide an easy and effective public system by which this
can be done.
Q18.
Write a note on Consumers International
.
Ans. In 1985 United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines for
Consumer Protection. This was a tool for nations to adopt measures to protect
consumers and for consumer advocacy groups to press their governments to do so.
At the international level, this has become the foundation for consumer
movement. Today, Consumers International has become an umbrella body to over
220 member organizations from over 115 countries.
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