Punjab to abolish consumer courts in 17 districts
New law proposes district courts for consumer disputes: Amended bill ready to present in PA
In a major legal overhaul, the Punjab government has decided to abolish consumer courts in 17 districts, replacing them with district and session courts to handle consumer disputes.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, to facilitate this, the Punjab Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill has been introduced in the Punjab Assembly and awaits cabinet approval.
According to the proposed bill, the powers of consumer courts will be transferred to district and additional district judges in consultation with the Lahore High Court.
The legislation also allows consumers to file complaints with Deputy Commissioners (DCs) or other government-appointed officers, who will be empowered to impose fines up to Rs. 100,000.
The bill mandates that the relevant standing committee must present its report within two months. Once approved by the committee, the bill will be put to a vote in the assembly and subsequently sent to the Governor of Punjab for final assent.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad