Consumer Commission complaint (e-Daakhil)

What it is

A consumer complaint is a case you bring against a seller, manufacturer or service provider before a Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission — often called the consumer court. It is set up by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

There are three levels:

• the District Commission, in each district (Section 28);
• the State Commission, usually at the state capital (Section 42);
• the National Commission, which ordinarily sits in the National Capital Region (Section 53).

Which one hears your case depends on what you paid for the goods or service — not on how much compensation you claim.

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

The Act itself sets higher limits (Sections 34, 47 and 58), but allows the Central Government to prescribe others. The 2021 Jurisdiction Rules did that, and these are the limits above.

Complaints can be filed online. The Act allows electronic filing (Section 35), and the Commissions' online filing system is called e-Daakhil.

When it applies

You can complain if you are a consumer — you bought goods or paid for a service, in a shop or online — and one of these happened (Section 2):

• the goods have a defect: a fault in quality, quantity or standard;
• the service has a deficiency: a fault in how it was performed, including negligence that caused you loss;
• the seller used an unfair trade practice — for example, refusing to take back defective goods and refund within the period on the bill, or within 30 days;
• you were charged more than the price fixed by law, displayed, or agreed;
• a defective product caused you harm, and you want compensation (a product liability claim).

It does not apply to goods bought for resale or for a business, except goods used only to earn your own living by self-employment, or to a service that was free.

Time limit: within two years of the problem arising (Section 69). A late complaint is admitted only if the Commission accepts that you had sufficient cause and records why.

Where: in the District Commission where you live or work for gain, where the other side carries on business or has a branch, or where the problem arose (Section 34).

The steps and timeline

1. The notice (usually first). The Act does not make a notice compulsory, but most complaints start with one. It gives the other side a final chance, and its reply — or silence — becomes evidence.

2. Preparing the complaint. The complaint sets out the facts, the defect or deficiency, and the relief you ask for, with copies of the documents that prove it (Regulation 7, Consumer Commission Procedure Regulations 2020). For a District Commission, a paper complaint is filed in three sets, plus one more for each opposite party.

3. Filing and fee. Filed on e-Daakhil or at the Commission's office, with the fee for what you paid (table below).

4. Scrutiny and admission. The registry numbers the complaint and lists any defects in filing, to be cured within 15 days (Regulation 9). The Commission should ordinarily decide within 21 days whether to admit it; it cannot reject the complaint without hearing you first. If it does not decide in time, the complaint is treated as admitted (Section 36).

5. Notice to the other side. The other side gets a copy and has 30 days, extendable by up to 15 more, to give its version (Section 38). If it does not respond, the case can go ahead without it.

6. Mediation, if both agree. At the first hearing or later, the Commission can send the case to mediation if both sides consent in writing (Section 37).

7. Evidence and hearing. The case is heard on affidavits and documents (Section 38(6)). If the product needs testing, the Commission can send a sample to a laboratory, and you may have to deposit its fee.

8. The order. The Commission can order repair, replacement, refund of the price with interest, compensation for loss or injury caused by negligence, punitive damages in suitable cases, and costs (Section 39). The Act asks it to try to decide within three months of notice to the other side, or five months where testing is needed.

9. After the order. Either side can appeal to the State Commission within 45 days. A party ordered to pay must deposit half the amount first (Section 41). The order is enforced like a court decree (Section 71), and disobeying it is an offence (Section 72).

Documents needed

• Invoice, bill or order confirmation, and payment proof.
• Warranty card, terms, brochure or advertisement — what was promised.
• Job cards, service reports, photos or video of the defect.
• Emails, chats and complaint numbers, with dates.
• Your notice, its postal receipt and tracking, and any reply.
• Proof of any extra loss you claim: repair bills, travel, alternative purchase.
• The other side's correct name and address for each party.

Typical cost

Commission fee (Rule 7, 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 demand draft, postal order, or electronically where the Commission allows it. For State and National Commission complaints, check the current fee with the advocate before filing.

The advocate's fee varies with the Commission, the amount involved and how contested the case is. An independent advocate from our panel quotes their own fee before you pay anything.

What the advocate does

• Reads your papers and tells you whether you have a case, against whom, and in which Commission.
• Works out what to claim — and what you can prove.
• Drafts the complaint and files it on e-Daakhil with the fee.
• Cures any defects the registry points out, and appears at admission.
• Answers the other side's version, prepares your evidence affidavit, and argues the case.
• Handles mediation, if it is offered, and any appeal or enforcement after the order.

The document that comes before it

Most complaints are stronger when a notice went first. Send a consumer legal notice (₹899, checked and sealed by a panel advocate and sent by registered post), or, for an online order, an e-commerce refund notice (₹699, emailed to the platform's grievance officer). Many disputes settle at that stage. The consumer legal notice format shows what one should say.

Not sure whether you have a case? A 30-minute call with an independent advocate from our panel starts at ₹999.