Question

Enumerate the various Acts passed by the Government of India which help in protection of consumers’ interests.

Answer 1

The Government of India has passed various regulations to protect the interests and rights of consumers which are as follows:-

1. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986:- this Act safeguards the consumer against defective goods, deficient services, unfair trade practices, and other forms of exploitation.
2. The Contract Act, 1982:- The Act lays down the conditions in which promises made by parties to a contract will be binding on each party. It also specifies the remedies and punishment available to any party in case of breach of contract.
3. The Sale of Goods Act, 1930:- this Act safeguards buyers of the goods in case goods purchased by them do not comply with express or implied terms, conditions, and warranties.
4. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955:- this Act prevents anti-social activities such as profiteering, hoarding, and black marketing. It aims at controlling the production, supply, and distribution of essential commodities.
5. The Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act, 1937:- the Act stipulates the conditions which govern the use of standards and lays down the procedure for grading, marking, and packing of agricultural commodities and livestock products.
6. The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954: the Act aims to check the adulteration of food articles and ensure their purity to maintain public health.
7. The Standard of Weights and Measures Act, 1976:- it safeguards consumer interest against malpractice of underweight or under-measure of goods sold.
8. The Trademarks Act, 1999:- it prevents the use of fraudulent marks on products.
9. The Competition Act, 2002:- This Act prevents business firms from anti-competitive or monopoly practices in the market.
10. The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986:- the bureau has been set up to formulate the quality standards for goods and provide certification to goods that adhere to the standard. It also provides speedy redressal to consumers against complaints about the quality of goods carrying the certification mark provided under this Act.