Maharashtra's Consumer Courts: High Caseload, Low Clearance

Maharashtra led in consumer cases filed from 2020-2024 but had the lowest disposal rate among large and medium states. The Consumer Justice Report highlighted that only 59,067 of 91,449 cases were cleared. Mumbai's district commissions had significant clearance issues, notably Mumbai Suburban with just a 19.5% rate.

Maharashtra has topped the list of states with the highest number of consumer cases filed over the four-year period from 2020 to 2024. However, the state struggles significantly in terms of case disposal, marking the lowest rate among its large and medium-sized counterparts, according to a recent consumer courts report.

The Consumer Justice Report, released by the India Justice Report (IJR), highlights that over five years, 91,449 cases were filed before state commissions involving various circuits and district commissions. Despite this high volume, only 59,067 cases have been resolved, pointing to inefficiencies in the system.

Mumbai's Metropolitan area stands out with particularly low performance, especially in its suburban district commission, which cleared only 19.5% of cases. The report, based on public data and RTI findings, underscores persistent vacancies in essential judicial positions, impacting the efficiency of consumer disputes resolution in Maharashtra significantly.

(With inputs from agencies.)