Right to Information

Introduction

Right to Information is one of the six rights offered to consumers as mentioned in the Consumers Protection Act (COPRA) first enacted in 1986. Right to Information is different from the Right to Information Act which was enacted in 2005 to offer Indian citizens the right to get information related to various governmental and nongovernmental organizations and their policies, actions, etc.

It is important for consumers to have certain information about the products they want to purchase so that they can get the best deal at the most affordable prices. Right to information is a way to get such information. The Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) which was first formed in 1986 contains the right to information as one of the six rights offered by law to consumers.

What is the Right to Information?

The right to information is a consumer bright that guarantees information about products, namely quantity, quality, strength, purity, standard, and cost should be informed to the consumer before he purchases a product. After getting all the information, the consumer can make an informed decision whether to purchase the product or not.

Providing information on various attributes of the product does not guarantee that the consumer will buy the product. He/she may check all alternatives of the product available in the market and compare the items before making a decision. The idea to provide information to the consumer is to offer all available options to him/her before the purchase so that he/she can be sure about the various attributes of the product. Then, depending on his/her requirement, he/she may purchase or not purchase the item.

Furthermore, various national agencies check the truth of the claims mentioned on the packages from time to time under government surveillance to make sure that the information provided is correct and true to the maximum. If any violation of law or disparities are found, these agencies may take action against the manufacturers or sellers. The agencies may include monetary action or legal action or both depending on the situation.

Right to information is one of the most important rights included in the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 and 2019. Although COPRA had many merits, it lacked some contemporary inclusions as the internet and globalization had impacted the market like never before. Therefore, e-commerce and other online businesses were also brought under the umbrella of consumer rights and protection.

What are the Three Consumer Dispute Redressal Agencies?

The three consumer dispute redressal agencies are −

District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum (DCDRF)

This body of redressal works at the district level and looks after cases the value of which is up to 10 million INR. It is the basic organization that deals with redressals according to the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, also known as COPRA. Consumers who have faced damages of up to 20 lakh can claim their money via DCDRF courts of law.

State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (SCDRC)

This government body also works under COPRA, 2019, and deals with cases that have claims of more than 10 million but less than 100 million INR. As is obvious, this is a state-level government body that works under a state commission to address the disputes that fall within the state.

National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC)

It is the central body that looks after cases that have damage claims worth more than 100 million INR. It is the highest level of consumer dispute redressal mechanism that works under COPRA 2019.

Consumers may contact these bodies via the consumer rights website. Besides the site, there are various consumer protection forums that address the grievances of consumers. Depending on the redressal amount, these forums work in a similar fashion to the above-mentioned dispute redressal bodies.

Enactment of Consumer Protection Act, 1986

The Consumer Protection Act of 1986, also known as COPRA, was enacted by the Parliament of India to protect the rights of Indian consumers from unfair trade practices and deceitful and unethical business behaviors meant towards the consumers.

COPRA paved the way for constituting the consumer councils and other authorities to safeguard consumers from unfair trade. The act dealt with consumer grievances and matters connected to it until it was replaced by Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The significance of the COPRA act can be realized from the fact that it was considered the ‘Magna Carta of consumer protection’ for finding the unethical trade practices, malfunctioning goods, and deficiencies in services offered by organizations, both small and large, in India.

COPRA unleashed a great number of small and large consumer forums that offer a voice to affected consumers through their network of professionals, representatives, and consumers. In this sense, COPRA empowered the consumers to a great extent in India before the detailed Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was enacted in India.

The major rights that are aimed to address by COPRA include the following −

• The right to protect consumers from the marketing of goods and services that are hazardous to life and property.

• The right to be informed about the amount, quality, strength, purity, standard, and cost of goods or services. These details are very important as they may be related to the protection of the consumers from unfair trade and unethical business practices

• As and when required, the right to be offered access to the best quality of goods at the most affordable prices.

• The right to be heard or the right that the consumer should be provided with help and due attention whenever required.

• The right to seek redressal against unfair trade or business policies and/or exploitation of consumers.

• The right to get an education about consumer rights.

Conclusion

Right to information is an important right offered to Indian consumers so that they can avail themselves of the best goods and services. Consumer rights are part of the constitution of almost all nations nowadays. Nations want to safeguard the rights of consumers in a fast-changing global environment.

As globalization and the advent of technology changes the world at an unprecedented pace, the need to protect consumers from predatory business practices is growing more than ever. In such circumstances, enacting laws to keep businesses on their toes is the best way possible to stop discrimination against them.

Although the Consumer Protection Acts are very strong and have some of the best treatments for unfair traders and businesses, there has been widespread debate on the most recent additions to the laws. As societies embrace more new-age media, there would be more views for and against the definition of the actual right to information. However, it is sure that the right to information will always serve its purpose in imbibing newer ideas in society.

FAQs

Qns 1. Is the Right to Information and Right to Information Act the same?

Ans. No. Right to Information is part of the Consumer Rights Act, 2019 while the Right to Information Act (RTI) is a different Act in itself.

Qns 2. When was the Consumers Protection Act first enacted?

Ans. The Consumers Protection Act (COPRA) was first enacted in 1986. It was renewed in 2019.

Qns 3. What are the three salient disruptions in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?

The salient disruptions that impacted the Consumers Protection Act, 2019 were globalization, e-commerce, and digitization.