Demand service from police under Consumer Protection Act

Now it may be possible to get better service from police by invoking 'service' as per Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Consumer law can put cops in order

Excerpt from the news below:
Though the forum could have dismissed the complaint against the cops terming it ‘in limine’ (through which evidence or one of the parties can be excluded from legal proceedings), it issued a notice to the police seeking their reply. Also, in his reply, SHO of Sector-34 police station did not plead that the complaint was not maintainable and admitted that the vehicle had been stolen. The reply went, ‘Despite best efforts of police, the motorcycle could not be traced. In these circumstances, there is no deficiency in service on its part and the complaint deserves dismissal.’

On Monday, the forum, headed by its president Lakshman Sharma, said, ‘The complainants have failed to make any case of deficiency in service against UT police and complaint against (them) stands dismissed.’

Though the complaint was dismissed, it is clear that consumer forum has not disallowed Police being a party to a complaint under Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Also read following comments by consumer forum members:

Member of the forum, Siddheshwar Sharma said, ‘Services provided by department of posts, passport offices, universities, municipal corporations and even administration fall under the ambit of CP Act.’

Sources said there were other similar complaints in the pipeline as well. Jagroop Singh Mahal, president of another consumer forum, said, ‘Whenever there is non-performance of duty by a public authority, including police, people complain under CP Act.’

So it is time that citizens widen their horizons and think out-of-the-box to demand and get service. The tax paid by citizens can be used as the argument to demand service from police.