KIIT Law School (KLS) celebrated National Consumer Day 2021 on 24th December 2021. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Padhi, Professor of Law, BHU, Varanasi discussed the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Act was introduced keeping in mind the new set of challenges and issues faced by the consumers in modern times owing to the digitization of the marketplace and the diversity of the goods and services that are being provided to the consumers.
Discussing the rights of consumers, he said, e-commerce platforms that were previously exempted from product liability were now not to be held as mere aggregators of products and services but equally liable as the manufacturer for any defect in goods and services. Though the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 provided for a mechanism for consumer grievance redressal, it was lacking in terms of keeping up with the modern digitized and electronic era, he stated.
Prof. Padhi also gave the students a few points to ponder: Whether as customers we are fulfilling our responsibilities? Are we right in ordering food more than we can eat? Are we right when we throw away the packaged drinking water bottle with water still in there? Are we sustainable customers?
Prof. (Dr.) Bhavani Prasad Panda, Director, KLS also spoke on the occasion. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Shreya Chatterjee. The rapporteurs and anchors for the session were Ms. Lipsita Bastia, Ms. Ambika Swain and Ms. Samyeeta Bal respectively.