New Consumer Protection Bill 2018 is more comprehensive, say lawyers

The new Bill, which the Lok Sabha has passed in December and is now in Rajya Sabha, aims brings significant changes to the existing laws

The government has made the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, comprehensive to empower consumers. But the new legislation will take a decade or more to “settle”, and have enough judicial precedents on all its aspects, according to consumer lawyers.

The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) has about 31 sections. The Consumer Protection Bill (CPB), 2018, has around 107. “Instead of bringing in a new Act, the government should have amended the existing CPA making it more comprehensive. There are already judicial precedents and