Elaborate the ‘Right to Safety’ as a consumer right.


Right to Safety:

(i)While using many goods and services, we as consumers, have the right to be protected against the marketing of goods and delivery of services that are hazardous to life and property.

(ii)Producers need to strictly follow the required safety rules and regulations.

(iii)There are many goods and services that we purchase that require special attention to safety.

(iv)For example, pressure cookers have a safety valve which, if it is defective, can cause a serious accident. The manufacturers of the safety valve have to ensure high quality. You also need public or government action to see that this quality is maintained.

(v)However, we do find bad quality products in the market because the supervision of these rules is weak and the consumer movement is also not strong enough.

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'It was presumed that it was the responsibility of consumers to be careful while buying a commodity or service'. Explain the movement associated with it in terms of India.


It was presumed that it was the responsibility of consumers to be careful while buying a commodity or service:

(i)It took many years for organisations in India, and around the world, to create awareness amongst people.

(ii)This has also shifted the responsibility of ensuring quality of goods and services on the sellers.

(iii)In India, the consumer movement as a ‘social force’ originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices.

(iv)Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an organised form in the 1960s.

(v)Till the 1970s, consumer organisations were largely engaged in writing articles and holding exhibitions. They formed consumer groups to look into the malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in the road passenger transport.

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Describe any five consumer rights under COPRA, 1986.


Rights of consumers under COPRA, 1986:

(i)Right to choice : The consumers have the right to buy those goods which they like to buy or continue or not continue those services which they receive.

(ii)Right to information : Under this right, the customers should be informed about the ingredients used, price, batch number, date of manufacture, expiry date and address of the manufactures.

(iii)Right to redressal: The consumer has the right to seek redressal against unfair practices. The consumer has a right to get relief in case the product or service falls short of his expectation. This provides a number of reliefs to the consumer including replacement of the product, removal of defect in the product, compensation paid for any loss or injury suffered by the consumer.

(iv)Right to safety : The consumer has a right to be protected against goods and services which are manufactured with substandard products or do not conform to the safety norms or might cause serious injury. Thus, consumers are educated that they should use electrical appliances which are ISI marked as this would be an assurance of such products meeting quality specifications.

(v)Right to consumer education : The consumer has a right to acquire knowledge and to be well-informed consumer throughout life. He should be aware of his right and the reliefs available to him in case of a product or service falling short of his expectations.

 

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Mention the significance of consumer courts in India.


Under COPRA, a three-tier quasijudicial machinery at the district, state and national levels was set up for redressal of consumer disputes.

(i)The district level court deals with the cases involving claims upto Rs 20 lakhs.

(ii)The state level courts between Rs 20 lakhs and Rs 1 crore and the national level court deals with cases involving claims exceeding Rs 1 crore.

(iii)If a case is dismissed in district level court, the consumer can also appeal in state and then in National level courts.
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Write a note on consumer forum in India?


The consumer movement in India has led to the formation of various organisations locally known as Consumer Forums or Consumer Protection Councils.

(i)They guide the consumers on how to file cases in the consumer courts.

(ii)On many occasions, they also represent individual consumers in the consumer courts.

(iii)These voluntary organisations also receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the people.

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