Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today said that Consumer Courts will soon start fully functioning. He instructed the Department to seek panel of judges from the concerned department before July 15. Chairing meeting of officers on functioning of Consumer Courts in the State, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali said that Government wants to make District Consumer Courts fully functional. He instructed the Department to ensure that these Courts start functioning with full strength at the earliest. The meeting was informed that State Government has nominated Members for District Consumer Forums of Shopian, Bandipora, Anantnag, Kulgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kargil, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Pulwama and Doda districts. For Kupwara, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Reasi, Leh, Samba and Budgam districts, the Minister directed the concerned officers to take up the matter with the Registrar General of the High Court.He also directed the officials to approach Law Department for allotting court rooms in all the districts.
The Minister also instructed Secretary CAPD to depute one Senior Level Officer in the Secretariat to monitor consumer issues. In order to enhance the pay perks of the members, the Minister directed to move a proposal for amending existing rules so that suitable honorarium could be paid to the members of the State Commission and District Forums.The Minister further directed to follow the proposed amendment in the Consumer Protection Act too.Secretary, CAPD Shafiq Raina, Director CAPD Kashmir Peerzada Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Special Secretary ,CAPD Akbar Ganie, Member District Consumer Forum, Srinagar and Legal Officers attended the meeting.