Consumer Rights: What to Do When a Company Wrongs You

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 replaced an older 1986 law with a system built for how people actually shop today, including e-commerce, and it gives consumers real, enforceable rights, not just a suggestion box.

The Core Rights

As a consumer, you have a right to safety (protection against goods and services that are hazardous), a right to information (accurate details about what you're buying), a right to choose (without being forced or misled), and a right to be heard and to seek redressal when something goes wrong.

Where to Complain First

The National Consumer Helpline, reachable at 1915, is the fastest first step for most disputes, from a denied e-commerce refund to a faulty appliance. It works through mediation, contacting the company on your behalf, and many complaints are resolved within a few weeks without ever needing a formal case.

Filing a Formal Case

If mediation doesn't resolve it, formal consumer complaints are filed through e-Jagriti (the government's unified consumer grievance platform, which absorbed the older e-Daakhil portal in 2025), letting you file and track a case with a District, State, or National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission without needing to physically visit one.

What Counts as a Valid Complaint

Defective goods, deficient services, unfair or restrictive trade practices, overcharging, and misleading advertising are all valid grounds. You don't need a lawyer to file a consumer case, the process is intentionally designed to be usable without one.

Most people simply pay the loss and move on rather than complain, assuming it's not worth the effort. For anything beyond a trivial amount, the helpline call alone often takes less time than the frustration of the original problem.