AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW IN INDIA

The Consumer Protection Law has evolved through a remarkable process from the pre-historic era to colonial legislative imports and Post-Independence Statutory Consolidation in India. The objectives of this paper are to discuss the evolution, structure and problems of the Consumer Protection regime under the landmark Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and the reforming Consumer Protection Act, 2019, highlighting the Act with special emphasis. This paper also sheds light on the shift from the doctrine of ‘Caveat Emptor' to ‘Caveat Venditor' and the alterations brought by different amendments in the liability of manufacturers, sellers and service providers. This paper critically examines the three-tier quasi-judicial forum for redressal, the role of the newly created Consumer Protection Authority – Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and the introduction of the Product liability provisions into the Indian Consumer Law framework. The paper also underlines the current challenges in consumer protection, such as the regulation of e-commerce, consumer protection related to data privacy, sluggishness in handling consumer disputes and the lack of consumer awareness, and proposes reforms and recommendations in the light of the global standards for improving the consumer protection mechanism in today's age of digital revolution.