Which Consumer Commission? Pecuniary limits and how to find yours

The three Consumer Commissions

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 sets up three levels of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission — the consumer courts:

Commission	Set up by	Where it sits
District Commission	The state government, in each district; a state may set up more than one in a district (Section 28)	Ordinarily at the district headquarters, and at other places the state notifies (Section 34(3))
State Commission	The state government, one per state (Section 42)	Ordinarily at the state capital; the state may set up regional benches (Section 42(2))
National Commission	The Central Government (Section 53)	Ordinarily in the National Capital Region; regional benches may be set up (Section 53(2))

The pecuniary limits — which level hears your complaint

Pecuniary jurisdiction means the money limit of what a Commission can hear. Under the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021 — the 2021 Jurisdiction Rules — the level depends on the value of the goods or services paid as consideration: in plain words, what you paid.

What you paid	Commission	Rule
Up to ₹50 lakh	District Commission	Rule 3
Above ₹50 lakh, up to ₹2 crore	State Commission	Rule 4
Above ₹2 crore	National Commission	Rule 5

Three points people get wrong:

• It is what you paid, not what you claim. A complaint about a ₹5 lakh purchase stays in the District Commission even if the compensation you ask for is far higher.
• The Act's own figures are out of date. The Act set the District limit at ₹1 crore and the State limit at ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore (Sections 34, 47 and 58), but allowed the Central Government to prescribe other values. The 2021 Jurisdiction Rules did that, and their limits are the ones above.
• Unfair contracts are different. A complaint against an unfair contract — terms that significantly change a consumer's rights against them (Section 2(46)) — goes to the State Commission up to ₹10 crore, and to the National Commission above that (Sections 47(1)(a)(ii) and 58(1)(a)(ii)). The 2021 Rules did not change these.

For some services — insurance is the usual example — what counts as "what you paid" can be argued. An advocate can confirm the level for your case before you file.

Territorial jurisdiction — which district

Territorial jurisdiction means the place where you may file. Under Section 34(2), a complaint can be filed in the District Commission for the area where:

• the opposite party — or each of them, if there are several — resides, carries on business, has a branch office or personally works for gain;
• any one of several opposite parties does so, with the Commission's permission;
• the cause of action — the events that give you the right to complain — arose, wholly or in part; or
• you, the complainant, reside or personally work for gain.

The last option means most people can file at home, whatever city the company is in. A State Commission complaint follows the same choices for the state (Section 47(4)). There is one National Commission.

How to find your Commission, step by step

1. Work out the level. Add up what you paid for the goods or service — the price, not your claim — and use the table above.

2. Choose the place. Usually the district where you live or work; otherwise where the other side does business or where the problem arose.

3. Find the Commission's address. eMunshi does not list addresses, because they change and new Commissions are set up. Use the official sources:

• your State Commission's website, or your state consumer affairs department, which lists the District Commissions in the state;
• the Commissions' online filing system, e-Daakhil, where you choose the Commission when you start a complaint (the Act allows electronic filing, Section 35; Rule 8 of the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions Rules 2020 lets the President of the National Commission notify from when, and for which kinds of cases, it applies);
• the National Commission's website, ncdrc.nic.in, for the National Commission itself.

4. Check the fee and the time limit. The fee is below. The complaint must be filed within two years of the problem arising (Section 69).

5. Send a notice first, if you have not. The Act does not require one, but a notice gives the other side a last chance and becomes evidence if they ignore it.

The filing fee

Fees are set by Rule 7 of the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions Rules, 2020. At the District Commission:

What you paid	Fee
Up to ₹5 lakh	Nil
Above ₹5 lakh, up to ₹10 lakh	₹200
Above ₹10 lakh, up to ₹20 lakh	₹400
Above ₹20 lakh, up to ₹50 lakh	₹1,000

The fee is paid by crossed demand draft on a nationalised bank, crossed postal order, or electronically where the Commission has arranged it.

The higher bands of the Rule 7 table were written for the Act's original limits and do not line up with the 2021 limits. For a complaint above ₹50 lakh, confirm the current fee with the Commission's registry or your advocate before filing.

The appeal ladder

Order of	Appeal to	Within	Deposit before the appeal is heard
District Commission	State Commission (Section 41)	45 days	50% of any amount the appellant must pay
State Commission, on its own complaint	National Commission (Section 51)	30 days	50% of any amount the appellant must pay
National Commission, on its own complaint	Supreme Court (Section 67)	30 days	50% of any amount the appellant must pay

Each appeal can be admitted late if the higher forum is satisfied there was sufficient cause. An order made on a settlement reached in mediation cannot be appealed (Section 41).

Before you file

Most complaints are stronger when a notice went first. A consumer legal notice costs ₹899, all-inclusive — drafted from your answers, checked and sealed by a panel advocate, and sent by registered post. For an online order, the e-commerce refund notice (₹699) goes to the platform's grievance officer. What the complaint itself involves is in the Consumer Commission complaint guide.

Not sure which Commission fits your case? A 30-minute call with an independent advocate from our panel starts at ₹999.