India’s three-tier consumer disputes redressal system is struggling under a backlog of nearly 6 lakh pending cases. This is driven in large part by widespread judicial and administrative staff shortages. Over 860 posts of presidents and members remain vacant across state and district commissions nationwide, according to figures released by the Union government.
In a written reply to an unstarred question raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Yeshwant Desai in the Lok Sabha on July 29, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs B. L. Verma disclosed that 5,93,109 cases are currently pending across all consumer forums in the country.
The Pending Caseload
National Commission (NCDRC) : 16,915 cases
State Commissions (SCDRCs) : 1,27,507 cases
District Commissions (DCDRCs) : 4,48,687 cases
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Total Pending Caseload : 5,93,109 cases
The bulk of the pendency remains concentrated at the grass-roots district level. This level handles roughly 75% of the total backlogged consumer grievances in India.
Severe Staff Shortages At Every Tier
The disclosures highlight acute vacancy levels at the leadership and tribunal member positions:
- State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (SCDRCs): Against a sanctioned capacity of 36 presidents and 167 members, 18 president posts (50%) and 74 member posts (44%) lie vacant.
- District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (DCDRCs): Out of a sanctioned strength of 637 presidents and 1,416 members, 234 president positions and 538 member positions are unfilled.
- National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): The apex consumer panel currently operates with 3 member vacancies.
Five-Year Trend: Rising Member Vacancies in States
An analysis from the Consumer Justice Report 2026 published by the India Justice Report (IJR) illustrates a distinct deterioration in member staffing in State Commissions between 2021 and 2025:
- Full Strength Shrinkage: While 8 SCDRCs were operating at full member strength in 2021, only 2 forums—Haryana and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands—maintained full member staffing by 2025.
- Worsening Vacancies: Vacancies surged across nine major SCDRCs during this five-year period. These include Delhi, Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Goa, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan.
- Highest Sanctioned Capacities: Among the 17 state commissions tracking consistent data, West Bengal and Rajasthan held the largest sanctioned member strength (10 posts each in 2025).
- Decline in Vacancies: Only Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana saw reductions in member vacancies over the five years. However, in Uttar Pradesh, this reduction was primarily driven by downsizing sanctioned member posts from 10 in 2021 down to 4 in 2025.
Chronic Delay Metrics
IJR data collected via Right to Information (RTI) requests across 19 State Commissions revealed that an average of 35% of pending cases have been stuck for over three years.
In high-delay states—such as Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, and Jharkhand—between 70% and 80% of pending consumer disputes have exceeded three years. In Uttar Pradesh, 60% of all pending matters before the State Commission are over three years old.
Legal & Operational Framework for Handling Vacancies
To prevent district commissions from collapsing during severe vacancy periods, lawmakers built contingency mechanisms into the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Section 32 Mechanisms │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Option A: Direct another District Commission to exercise jurisdiction │
│ over the adjoining vacant district. │
│ │
│ Option B: Direct a President or Member of an active commission to │
│ discharge powers in the neighboring vacant forum. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Under Section 32 of the 2019 Act, state governments can issue notifications assigning additional charge to neighboring commission presidents or members. This ensures continuity in hearings until permanent appointments are finalized.
Recruitment Timelines & Sub Judice Status
Under the Consumer Protection Rules, 2020, state governments—which carry primary statutory responsibility for filling state and district-level posts—are mandated to begin recruitment at least six months before a post becomes vacant.
However, the appointment procedure for State and District Commission presidents and members remains sub judice before the Supreme Court in connection with proceedings surrounding the landmark Dr. Mahendra Bhaskar Limaye matter. The Department of Consumer Affairs has filed an affidavit and a review petition before the apex court to resolve ongoing regulatory and procedural bottlenecks.
CaseMine
NCDRC Clears Backlog While State Filings Surge
Despite central and state-level friction, performance data from the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) shows consistent productivity over the last five years (2021–2025):
| Year | Cases Filed | Cases Disposed | Annual Net Surplus / (Deficit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,697 | 1,965 | (732) |
| 2022 | 3,655 | 4,054 | +399 |
| 2023 | 5,816 | 6,125 | +309 |
| 2024 | 4,546 | 6,953 | +2,407 |
| 2025 | 3,402 | 4,908 | +1,506 |
| Total | 20,116 | 24,005 | +3,889 Net Backlog Reduction |
While the NCDRC cleared nearly 3,900 more cases than it received over five years, regional state commissions continue to grapple with massive new intake.
High-Volume States vs. Low-Volume UTs
Industrialized and highly populated states consistently log the largest fresh caseloads:
- Gujarat led state commission filings with 18,280 new cases.
- Uttar Pradesh followed with 16,550 new cases.
- Maharashtra registered 16,434 new cases.
- Haryana (12,385) and Kerala (12,018) also sustained elevated dispute volumes.
Conversely, Union Territories such as Ladakh and Lakshadweep recorded negligible to zero consumer dispute filings over the same period.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
