Hyderabad: Residents are stepping away from the very courts meant to protect their consumer rights. With no help desks at any of the city’s three consumer commissions, a confusing digital filing system, and increasingly complex disposal processes, frustrated complainants are giving up even before their cases begin. Advocates and commission officials confirm a noticeable dip in case numbers and say the system itself may be to blame.When TOI visited the district consumer commissions in Nampally, several people came in with complaints and left without filing them, confused, misdirected, or lacking the necessary paperwork. Among them was T Rama Krishna of Himayatnagar, who was trying to lodge a complaint against an e-commerce company for weeks. “This is my third visit. One time they said it’s the wrong jurisdiction, next time they said I need to file it online. Now, they’re saying I’m missing documents. I haven’t even reached the court stage yet,” he said.Krishna’s story isn’t unusual. Advocates say that since the introduction of the e-Jagriti online portal — now the only way to file a case — complaints have dropped. TV Rajeshwar Rao, president of the Hyderabad District Consumer Fora Advocates Association, said: “Even lawyers find the website difficult to navigate. Imagine a layperson trying to upload documents and follow procedures without help.”The association, which comprises around 600 advocates from across the city, ensures that 10 to 15 of them are present at the commissions on any given day to assist consumers in navigating the system. “But this shouldn’t be necessary, not in a consumer commission that was meant to be simple and accessible,” Rao said.The consumer justice system, originally designed to be accessible and informal, is increasingly resembling a civil court, say legal professionals. “Consumers are now forced to hire legal counsel because the process of fighting a case has become so complex,” advocate K Yadagiri said. “It defeats the original purpose of consumer forums.”Worse, there is no one at the commissions to guide people through this maze. “A help desk could at least offer basic direction. Today, people who can’t read or write, or don’t have internet access, are completely left out,” Yadagiri said.An advocate pointed out that, by law, a case filed in a consumer commission is meant to be resolved within three months. “But that’s far from reality,” he said. “Many cases now drag on for at least two years, largely due to the increasing complexity of proceedings and delays in the system.”The impact is evident in the numbers. Among the four commissions in the city, Hyderabad I, II, III, and Ranga Reddy, Ranga Reddy still sees highest footfalls, with about 70 cases a month, followed by Hyderabad III, which sees 30 cases on average, and Hyderabad I and II, which see 10-15 cases a month. But across all commissions, officials say there’s been a 20% decline in new filings since e-Jagriti became mandatory.
