{"id":258863,"date":"2021-12-22T11:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T05:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=258863"},"modified":"2021-12-24T09:53:21","modified_gmt":"2021-12-24T04:23:21","slug":"explained-can-more-than-one-consumer-institute-a-complaint-under-consumer-protection-act-2019-why-is-the-definition-of-complainant-misleading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/12\/22\/explained-can-more-than-one-consumer-institute-a-complaint-under-consumer-protection-act-2019-why-is-the-definition-of-complainant-misleading\/","title":{"rendered":"Explained| Can more than one consumer institute a complaint under Consumer Protection Act 2019? Why is the definition of \u201ccomplainant\u201d misleading?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Supreme Court:<\/strong> In a case where it was alleged that more than one consumer cannot institute a complaint unless they come within the definition of the word \u201ccomplainant\u201d of Section 2(5) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and also satisfy the requirements of Section 38(11) read with Order I Rule 8 CPC, the bench of Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian*<\/strong>, JJ has held that it is wrong to contend that wherever there are more consumers than one, they must only take recourse to Order I Rule 8 CPC, even if the complaint is not on behalf of or for the benefit of, all the consumers interested in the matter.<\/p>\n

Relevant Provisions <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Section 2(5) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 reads as under:<\/p>\n

\u201c(5) “complainant” means\u2014<\/p>\n

(i) a consumer; or<\/p>\n

(ii) any voluntary consumer association registered under any law for the time being in force; or<\/p>\n

(iii) the Central Government or any State Government; or<\/p>\n

(iv) the Central Authority; or<\/p>\n

(v) one or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest; or<\/p>\n

(vi) in case of death of a consumer, his legal heir or legal representative; or<\/p>\n

(vii) in case of a consumer being a minor, his parent or legal guardian;<\/p>\n

35. Manner in\u00a0 which\u00a0 complaint\u00a0 shall\u00a0 be\u00a0 made.\u00ad<\/p>\n

(1) A complaint, in relation to any goods sold or delivered or agreed to be sold or delivered or any service provided or agreed to be provided, may be filed with a District Commission by\u2014<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

(c)\u00a0 one or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest, with the permission of the District Commission, on behalf of, or for the benefit of, all consumers so interested.<\/p>\n

38. Procedure on admission of complaint.<\/p>\n

(11)\u00a0 Where the complainant is a consumer referred to in sub-clause (v) of clause (5) of section 2, the provisions of Order I Rule 8 of the First Schedule to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) shall apply subject to the modification that every reference therein to a suit or decree shall be construed as a reference to a complaint or the order of the District Commission thereon.<\/p>\n

Analysis <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

The Court agreed to the fact that the definition of the word \u201ccomplainant\u201d is little misleading. It, however, explained,<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThere may be cases where only \u201ca few consumers\u201d and not \u201cnumerous consumers\u201d have the same interest. There is nothing in the Act to prohibit these few consumers from joining together and filing a joint complaint.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It is true that Section 2(5)(i) uses the expression \u201ca consumer\u201d. If the vowel \u201ca\u201d and the word \u201cconsumer\u201d appearing in Section 2(5)(i) are to be understood to exclude more than one person, it will result in a disastrous consequence while reading Section 2(5)(vi). Section 2(5)(vi) states that in the case of death of a consumer, \u201chis legal heir or legal representative\u201d will be a complainant. Unless the words \u201clegal heir\u201d and \u201clegal representative\u201d are understood to mean \u2018legal heirs\u2019 and \u2018legal representatives\u2019, a meaningful reading of the provision may not be there.<\/p>\n

The Court also took note of Section 13(2) of the General Clauses Act, 1897, which provides that words in the singular shall include the plural and vice versa in all Central Acts and Regulations, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context. Hence, it said that,<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe cannot read anything repugnant in the subject or context of Section 2(5) or 35(1)(c) or 38(11) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to hold that the word in the singular, namely, \u201cconsumer\u201d will not include the plural.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Further, a joint complaint stands in contrast to a complaint filed in a representative capacity. For attracting the provisions of Section 35(1)(c), the complaint filed by one or more consumers should be on behalf of or for the benefit of numerous consumers having same interest. It does not mean that where there are only very few consumers having the same interest, they cannot even join together and file a single complaint but should take recourse only to independent and separate complaints.<\/p>\n

Explaining by way of an example, the Court said,<\/p>\n

\n

\u201c\u2026 a case where a residential apartment is purchased by the husband and wife jointly or by a parent and child jointly. If they have a grievance against the builder, both of them are entitled to file a complaint jointly. Such a complaint will not fall under Section 35(1)(c) but fall under Section 35(1)(a). Persons filing such a complaint cannot be excluded from Section 2(5)(i) on the ground that it is not by a single consumer. It cannot also be treated as one by persons falling under Section 2(5)(v) attracting the application of Order I Rule 8 CPC read with Section 38(11).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Therefore, the proper way of interpreting Section 35(1) read with section 2(5), would be to say that a complaint may be filed by:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. a single consumer;<\/li>\n
  2. a recognised consumer Association;<\/li>\n
  3. one or more consumers jointly, seeking the redressal of their own grievances without representing other consumers who may or may not have the same interest;<\/li>\n
  4. one or more consumers on behalf of or for the benefit of numerous consumers; and<\/li>\n
  5. the Central Government, Central Authority or State Authority.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Further, it must be remembered that the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act are in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force, by virtue of Section 100. Even Section 38 which prescribes the procedure to be followed by the Commission for enquiring into the complaint, does not expressly exclude the application of the provisions of CPC. Though Sub-sections (9), (11) and (12) of Section 38 make specific reference only to a few provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, the principle behind Order I Rule 1 enabling more than one person to join in a suit as plaintiff is not expressly excluded.<\/p>\n

    [Brigade Enterprises Ltd. v. Anil Kumar Virmani, 2021 SCC OnLine SC 1283<\/b><\/a>, decided on 17.12.2021]<\/p>\n

    \n

    Counsels<\/strong><\/p>\n

    For appellant: Senior Advocate Jayant Bhushan,<\/p>\n

    For Respondent: Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha<\/p>\n

    For intervenors: Advocate Omanakuttan K. K.<\/p>\n

    \n

    *Judgment by: Justice V. Ramasubramanian<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Supreme Court: In a case where it was alleged that more than one consumer cannot institute a complaint unless they come within <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":243205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,9],"tags":[32256,14601,11241,37027,2526],"class_list":["post-258863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-casebriefs","category-supremecourt","tag-complainant","tag-consumer","tag-consumer-protection","tag-consumer-protection-act-2019","tag-Interpretation"],"yoast_head":"\nExplained| Can more than one consumer institute a complaint under Consumer Protection Act 2019? 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Lokur and P.C. Pant, JJ held that a Trust cannot file a complaint under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as a Trust is not a person and therefore not a consumer. The bench took note of the various definition provisions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Supreme-Court_Colour.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Supreme-Court_Colour.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Supreme-Court_Colour.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Supreme-Court_Colour.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Supreme-Court_Colour.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":242879,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/01\/27\/ncdrc-whether-a-company-purchasing-commercial-space-for-its-office-is-consumer-under-consumer-protection-act-2019-commission-answers\/","url_meta":{"origin":258863,"position":2},"title":"NCDRC | Whether a company purchasing commercial space for its office is “consumer” under Consumer Protection Act, 2019? Commission answers","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"January 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): Dinesh Singh (Presiding Member), expressed that whether, for a particular purpose, a company is a \u2018consumer\u2019, has principally to be determined by examining the facts and specificities of the case. In the instant matter, the complainant had filed the complaint under Section 58(1) (a)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/NCDRC_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/NCDRC_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/NCDRC_.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/NCDRC_.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/NCDRC_.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":214871,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2019\/05\/20\/hp-scdrc-no-bar-under-consumer-protection-act-prohibiting-filing-of-consumer-complaint-in-the-presence-of-an-alternative-remedy\/","url_meta":{"origin":258863,"position":3},"title":"HP SCDRC | No bar under Consumer Protection Act prohibiting filing of consumer complaint in the presence of an alternative remedy","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"May 20, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Himachal Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Shimla: Coram of Justice P.S. Rana (President), Vijay Pal Khachi (Member) and Sunita Sharma (Member), dismissed the appeal filed by Bharti Airtel Ltd. against the order of the District Forum whereby Bharti Airtel was directed to pay punitive compensation to one of its\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/HP-STATE-CONSUMER-DISPUTES-COMMISSION.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/HP-STATE-CONSUMER-DISPUTES-COMMISSION.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/HP-STATE-CONSUMER-DISPUTES-COMMISSION.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/HP-STATE-CONSUMER-DISPUTES-COMMISSION.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/HP-STATE-CONSUMER-DISPUTES-COMMISSION.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":249082,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/06\/01\/consumer-dispute\/","url_meta":{"origin":258863,"position":4},"title":"Consumer Forum | Can complainant raise consumer dispute where excess electricity duty is charged? Is he overriding statutory remedy if he already approached the Collector? Read on","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"June 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Gujarat State, Ahmedabad: Justice V.P. Patel, President and U.P. Jani, Member, addressed an appeal which was raised in light of a complaint raised due to excess of electricity duty being charged. Appellants filed the instant appeal under Section 15 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Consumer.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Consumer.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Consumer.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Consumer.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Consumer.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":34092,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2016\/01\/29\/maintainability-of-a-second-complaint-to-district-forum-upheld-in-absence-of-any-express-prohibition-by-consumer-protection-rules\/","url_meta":{"origin":258863,"position":5},"title":"Maintainability of a second complaint to District Forum upheld in absence of any express prohibition by Consumer Protection Rules","author":"Sucheta","date":"January 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Supreme Court: While setting aside the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's order, the Division Bench of Madan B. Lokur and R.K. Agrawal, JJ. has held that a second complaint to the District Forum under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is maintainable when the first complaint was dismissed for default or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/DSC_5487.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258863\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=258863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=258863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}