An Analytical Study of Consumer Protection, Rights and Responsibilities in India – June 2025

Author: Zanje J. M.*
Asst. Professor,
M.V.P. Samaj’s Law College, Nashik

Abstract:

In modern era the consumers are called the king of the market but they are suffering from lots of undesired elements such as misleading advertisements, underweight goods, unsatisfied services etc. Consequently, to protect the basic consumer rights Government of India has taken development steps by way of enactment of various Acts and other measures to define, aware and help consumers. In India, the concept of consumer protection is not new, it is as old as trade and commerce itself. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (68 of 1986) is a milestone in the history of socio-economic legislation in the country. The main objective of the new law is to provide for the better protection of the consumers unlike existing laws, which are punitive or preventive in nature. In reality, Consumers have to realize their role and importance. The consumer movements can be winner movements only with the active involvement of consumer by knowing his rights and enforcing them. The consumer is exposed to many hazardous- physical, environmental and exploitation due to unfair trade practices. There is need of strong consumerism in our country on account of the many reasons e.g. illiteracy, less-education15, ignorance and ill-information, poverty, lack of social awareness etc. For safeguarding the consumers, consumer must understand his rights and responsibilities. It is recognized theory of the jurisprudence that rights and duties are correlated and there can be no right without duty and vice versa. The present paper discusses the contribution made by Consumer Protection Act in Consumer Protection, Consumer Awareness and Consumerism and also reveals recent trends and challenges in it. The study also gives recommendations in order to avoid and reduce unfair trade practices in India.

Keywords: Consumer Protection, rights, Responsibilities, Consumer Awareness, Unfair Trade Practices, Amendment Bill of Consumer Protection Act.

DOI: 10.65282/sjrl.vo.1.issue.01.004