The government on Friday introduced the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, which has provision for fine and imprisonment for adulteration of products, and the establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority. The Bill, which will replace the existing 31-year old Consumer Protection Act, envisages life imprisonment for sellers and manufacturers of adulterated products if those result in the death of any consumer. “Whoever, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes or imports any product containing an adulterant shall be punished, if such act — results in the death of a consumer, with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life and with fine which shall not be less than ten lakh rupees,” according to the Bill introduced in Lok Sabha.
However, for lesser injury, the punishment is lower, ranging from six months to seven years. The Bill also confers judicial power to district, state and national commissions to punish a person or company for non-compliance of order with power to pronounce imprisonment between one month and three years, as well as a fine between Rs 5,000 and Rs 1,00,000. The Central Consumer Protection Authority will be an executive agency to provide relief to consumers against unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. The authority can penalise some one for non-compliance of its direction with six months jail or Rs 25 lakh fine, or both.
Any manufacturer or service provider will get two years jail and Rs 10 lakh fine for false or misleading advertisements and for every subsequent offence, the punishment will increase up to five years imprisonment and up to Rs 50 lakh fine. The Bill also provides for simplification of consumer disputes adjudication process for faster disposal of grievances through filing of complaints by a consumer from his place of residence, e-filing and video conferencing for hearing. The Bill has a provision that allows the Centre to regulate e-commerce and direct selling.