Consumer Protection in India through Criminalisation of Consumer Grievances

Abstract

Every person is consumer in one or other way; even a person who is seller in one transaction, in another transaction he is consumer. Consumer grievances now days have become very serious and rate is also alarming which with passing time are becoming more graver challenge. In such situations now consumer grievances do not remain only a matter to be remedied under civil justice dispension system but for effective tackling need is to under criminal justice system. In case of consumer grievances two pronged actions are required, for providing justice to individual injured consumer there should be civil remedy and to provide justice to consumers collective, thereby, to society there should be providing of criminal justice. Preventive measures are most effective measures for consumer protection which can be attained by criminalisation of consumer grievances. Prescription and infliction of punishment creates deterrence in potential wrongdoers, thereby, they get lesson for future behaviour. In India sufficient penal provisions are provided for criminalisation of consumer grievances; criminal justice system through effective enforcement and infliction of punishment may tackle the problem of consumer grievances and attain the goal of consumer protection. This paper will analyse Indian laws to find out use of measure of criminalisation of consumer grievances for consumer protection. Keywords: Adulteration; Consumer; Consumerism; Consumer grievance; Criminal Justice System; Deterrence; False property mark; Preventive measure; Spurious