Digital Justice Delivers Tangible Results
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad Joshi, highlighted that digital transformation has substantially strengthened consumer justice delivery across the country. In 2025 alone, over 1.4 lakh consumer cases were disposed of, with more than 90,000 hearings conducted through video conferencing.
The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has emerged as a robust pre-litigation mechanism, resolving grievances efficiently and reducing the burden on consumer commissions. Between April and December 2025, refunds amounting to ₹42.6 crore were facilitated across 30 sectors by resolving over 63,800 refund-related complaints.
Shri Joshi emphasized that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has intensified action against unfair trade practices. More than 450 class action notices were issued, and penalties exceeding ₹2.13 crore were imposed, particularly targeting misleading advertisements and dark patterns in digital markets.
Institutional Collaborations and Digital Initiatives
The event witnessed the signing of key Memorandums of Understanding to strengthen consumer protection infrastructure. The National Test House entered into partnerships with DRDO’s DMSRDE and India Post to enhance testing capabilities and service outreach. Kendriya Bhandar and NCCF also joined hands to strengthen cooperative retail networks.
Several digital initiatives were launched, including an AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline Dashboard developed with IIT Kanpur. The Reparability Index logo was unveiled to promote sustainable consumption and the right to repair. A National Consumer Awareness Quiz was launched on the MyGov platform to encourage citizen participation.
Regulatory Reforms and Quality Assurance
Major reforms under the Legal Metrology framework were announced, including the first-ever authorization of private entities as Government Approved Test Centres. Eleven entities received GATC status, expanding verification coverage to instruments such as breath analysers, weighing scales, and water meters.
The Bureau of Indian Standards released five new Indian Standards covering consumer-facing sectors and launched a national-level online quiz for students. These measures aim to enhance accuracy, transparency, and consumer trust in the marketplace.
Strengthening Consumer Awareness
Consumer education remained a central focus, with campaigns such as ‘Be an Empowered Consumer’ launched in collaboration with Meta under the Jago Grahak Jago programme. Gamified initiatives like the Smart Consumer Challenge and the Consumer Awareness India Tour were introduced to promote informed decision-making.
New publications, including e-books on consumer rights and an e-digest of landmark judgments, were released in collaboration with leading national law universities.
Looking Ahead
Senior officials, members of consumer commissions, regulators, industry representatives, and academia participated in thematic sessions on pre-litigation grievance redressal, e-Jagriti, and combating unfair digital trade practices.
As India observes National Consumer Day 2025, the government reiterated its resolve to build a consumer-centric ecosystem rooted in fairness, accountability, and digital innovation, ensuring that consumer rights remain at the heart of economic growth.
