What are Consumer Protection Councils (CPCs)? What are the main activities of the CPCs?

Consumer exploitation can be exploited through the purchase of goods and exploitation during the consumption of services. It can be though improper weighing, impurity, adulteration, deliberate hiding of facts, creating artificial shortages and excess in the market or through physical, mental and intellectual damages. To prevent the exploitation faced by the consumers in the market, the Consumers Protection Act was enacted in 1986. The act was enacted to protect the interests of the consumers give them the right to be protected against various exploitations faced by them. It enabled the establishments of various consumer councils and other legislatures for protecting their interests.

Consumer Protection Councils (CPCS) are the councils which are mainly set up for increasing the awareness about consumer rights and their duties among the consumers. It mainly set up in national, state and district levels. The main activities of the consumer protection Council are:

• They guide the consumers on how to file cases in the consumer courts. This will help ordinary consumers to use against the unfair trade practices that are happening against the consumers.

• In the case of the consumer who filed a case against the exploitation. The consumer council will represent the consumer in case the consumer becomes insolvent to move with the case.

• This Consumer Protection Council (CPC) will enhance the consumer welfare and they fully empower the consumers to protect themselves.

These are the main activities that are being followed by the consumer protection counsel for protecting the consumers from the exploitation.