Orders reserved on filling up Prez post in consumer redressal

The Madras High Court today reserved orders on a petition seeking to direct the Secretary for Food and Consumer Protection and the Registrar General of the Madras High Court to fill the post of President of the state Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission within a time frame.
Petitioner V Chandrasekhar, an advocate, submitted before the HC bench here that the main object of the Consumer Protection Act was to provide speedy justice to consumers under its provisions. CPA also provided that complaints be disposed off in 90 days.
The noble object of the act would be defeated if the post of the President of the State Commission remained vacant for a long time, he said.

The petitioner said the post had been lying vacant since May 3, 2015. The new incumbent was yet to be appointed by the Chief secretary and the Secretary for Food and Consumer Protection. The Commission also has its bench regularly functioning in Madurai.
Chandrasekhar submitted that under the Act, government should intimate the fact about the vacancy that had arisen for the post to the Registrar General of the HC and he should inform the same to the Chief Justice of Madras High Court, who would select a name of a retired High court judge for consideration and appointment to fill the vacancy.

The secretaries also should request the CJ to send a name of a single retired judge and through the Registrar General, the name would be sent to the government. The state Commission had a crucial role as he heads the selection committee for making recommendations for appointment for the President and members of the district forums,for transfers, he said.
He had administrative control over district forums and should hold regular sittings in Madurai and Chennai. The President's post could not remain vacant for long and hence he filed this petition, Chandrasekhar said.
After hearing the petitioner, the division bench, comprising Justices R Sudhakar and V M Velumani, reserved its orders.