Consumerism as an ideology has come to stay in business literature, and the need to ensure consumer welfare has been long recognised by legislations all over the world. The new Consumer Protection Act, 2019 has been passed with the objective of addressing the new challenges that consumers face in today’s digital era. The Act aims to provide timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes. 

This course has been curated to give an overview of the consumer protection movement in India, the new concepts introduced by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, in addition to the widely recognised basic consumer rights and sector-specific protection of consumers and service providers. The course will help consumers, sellers, service providers, activists, lawyers and law students.

Instructor

PRATIMA NARAYAN

Dr Pratima Narayan is an Advocate and Founder Partner of Techlawlogi Consulting LLP, a law firm based out of Bengaluru. She is an expert in the areas of information technology law, intellectual property rights, commercial contracts and consumer protection law, and holds a doctorate in law from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU). She is an empanelled Mediator with the Indian Institute of Arbitration and Mediation and Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs. She has been instrumental in designing the technical process for online mediation at the Online Mediation Centre, a state-of-the-art mediation centre under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs at NLSIU, Bengaluru. Dr Pratima has also served the legal academia over the last 18 years as a visiting faculty at various law schools and business schools. Her book on “Electronic Commerce: Legal Compliance Handbook” is under publication with EBC.

1. Welcome

• • 1.1 Introduction

2. Introducing consumer protection law

• • 2.1 Overview of consumer movement and Consumer Protection Act
  • 2.2 Know your consumer rights!
  • 2.3 Exercises

3. Understanding key concepts

• • 3.1 Goods and services
  • 3.2 Who is a consumer?
  • 3.3 Consumer for hiring or availing services
  • 3.4 Consumer dispute and consumer complaint
  • 3.5 Defining a complainant
  • 3.6 Who cannot be a complainant?
  • 3.7 Class action suit/complaint
  • 3.8 Exercises

4. Consumer disputes

• • 4.1 Kinds of consumer disputes
  • 4.2 Defect in goods
  • 4.3 Deficiency in service
  • 4.4 Restrictive trade practice
  • 4.5 Unfair trade practice
  • 4.6 Product liability
  • 4.7 Exercises

5. Sector specific consumer protection

• • 5.1 Consumer protection and medical negligence
  • 5.2 Consumer protection in real estate
  • 5.3 Consumer protection in electronic commerce
  • 5.4 Consumer protection in financial sector
  • 5.5 Exercises

6. Conclusion

• • 6.1 Road ahead