District Consumer Forum

In TOI 27 Oct 20 (page 5 mid way) there is a report announcing the introduction of ON LINE DISTRICT CONSUMER FOUM - www.edaakhil.nic.in. soon to be extended beyond Delhi and Maharashtra. Looking up the web portal, it stated the following pre requisites to make a complaint on line. The Consumer Complaint along with all the copies should be paginated and duly indexed in the following seriatim: 1. Index 2. List of Dates 3. Memo of Parties (with fresh complete addresses & telephone no.) 4. Complaint with Notarised attested affidavit. 5. Fee payable for making Consumer Complaint (Offline Mode) (Demand Draft in favour of the respective consumer Forum “e.g. The Registrar, NCDRC, New Delhi”) Any Other Document, if you are required to upload 6. Supporting documents in favour of complaint e.g. receipt, voucher etc. (All the Annexures must be attested as True Copy on the last page with name & signature) 7. Application for condonation of delay with Notarised attested affidavit, if beyond limitation.(2 years from cause of action) Please have the scanned copies of all the necessary documents before filing a consumer case. When you delve further in to how to apply on line, it provides both videos and down load feature of required step by step instructions. However, within the application form, it also asks for: a) Mobile no of opposite party (Have yet to come across organisations giving mobile nos b) Address of opposite party (Most apps do not have this and the few who send replies by mail will have HQ address) c) Name and details of Complainant’s lawyer (???) d) Name and details of opposite party’s lawyer. (??? ) Given that a vast number of goods and services related transactions during the COVID 19 period have been using internet/ what’s app/ mobile apps etc, it seems rather defeating the objective of going paper less, not having to visit external places / people (Notary, attestation, lawyers etc) and incur additional expenditure of notarisation / attestation etc. Surely the whole purpose of Consumer court is for ordinary people to contest their grievances in the simplest and informal way? On line method should be a step towards ease of seeking redressal. Whilst it is essential to have a compute and printer to be able to complaint digitally but notarisation, attestation, lawyer details, etc just defeats the purpose making it difficult for ordinary citizens to consider complaining. Am I on the wrong track here? If not, who are these authorities that have imposed such requirements? Can the process be revised? How can local Circle assist in doing this?