48,998 Complaints register against e-commerce companies during April 2016-February 2017

The number of complaints against e-commerce companies, as registered in the National Consumer Helpline, over the last three years are as under: Call received at National Consumer Helpline in e-commerce SectorYear CallsMay 2014 - March 2015 16919April 2015 - March 2016 28331April 2016- February 2017 48998

The redressal of the complaints are registered by a complainant with the three tier system of quasi-judicial bodies namely the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission established under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Besides, Consumer Grievances addressed to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) are redressed by forwarding the complaints to concerned departments and the companies and constant monitoring the progress in their redressal. The NCH has established partnership with 225 companies under a convergence programme for speedy redressal.

The Government is aware about the functioning of e-commerce companies. The rights of the consumers involved in e-commerce are equally protected as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, in a manner similar to transactions involving goods and services.

The draft amendment to the Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011 made under the provisions of Legal Metrology Act, 2009 proposes that the mandatory labeling declarations as per the rules shall be displayed on the online trading platforms.

A consumer dealing in e-commerce can file complaints in consumer courts for deficiency in service and defective products, under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 which has provisions regarding jurisdictional issues. The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015, introduced in August, 2015, seeks to strengthen the provisions regarding jurisdictional and also has provisions regarding Alternate Disputes Resolution.

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