Panaji: The Supreme Court directed that the 39 complaints and appeals pending before the Goa State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission be transferred to the Bombay high court, after noting that the state commission post remained vacant.Goa govt informed the Apex Court that the post of the president of the commission could not be filled, as a candidate with the requisite qualification of being a sitting or former high court judge could not be found.
The direction, issued by the SC while hearing a batch of matters concerning the constitution of consumer commissions across several smaller states and union territories, invoked the court’s special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.Goa was among seven states and union territories flagged by the court for failing to have a properly constituted State Commission.Under the court’s order, Goa govt must transfer all records of pending complaints and appeals to the registrar general of the Bombay high court within two weeks. Chief Justice of the high court was then requested to assign these matters to a single judge, who will be deemed the chairperson of the state commission for the purposes of adjudicating these cases.The existing technical members already functioning at the commission will continue to assist the judge, and the court asked that all current pending matters be disposed of preferably within three months.The court also noted that states with fewer than 1,000 pending cases before the commission which includes Goa, are at the liberty to submit alternative proposals for providing consumers with an effective redressal mechanism, rather than maintaining a full-fledged commission.The order also reminded all state govts that the composition of their consumer commissions must mandatorily include a woman member in conformity with the applicable rules.The matter will next be taken up on Feb 26, when several interlocutory applications from states seeking modification of an earlier order dated May 19, 2025 will also be heard. The Supreme Court also sought the assistance of the Solicitor General of India in the matter.
