Lawyers continue strike over shifting of consumer cases

Ludhiana December 7

The District Bar Association (DBA) continued its strike on the second day, showing resentment against the decision of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Punjab, over the shifting of a large number of pending consumer cases to other districts. The association has raised demand for an immediate roll back of the decision.The strike has paralysed the working of district courts, which almost came to a standstill.

Recently, the state commission has passed an order to transfer around 894 pending cases to other districts, including Moga, Kapurthala, Nawanshahar and Ropar, with the plea to dispose of long-pending cases before the consumer commission at Ludhiana, which has sparked a row.

Meanwhile, the Director, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, has requested the state commission to set up additional Benches at Ludhiana for the disposal of cases, citing reason of inconvenience to lawyers and litigants. The department has offered to provide accommodation in conference halls of east and west offices of the department.

Rajiv Abji, a senior lawyer, termed the move to shift consumer cases outside the city to be unfortunate. He said it was not a good decision. If pendency was to be reduced, one more Bench could be set up here to decide more cases swiftly. — OC