The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was enacted to safeguard the rights of consumers in
India and to establish a simple, quick, and inexpensive redressal system for consumer
disputes. It replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and introduced many modern
provisions like:
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to regulate unfair
trade practices.
E-filing of complaints to make the process easier.
Product liability holding manufacturers, service providers, and sellers
accountable.
Three-tier consumer dispute redressal mechanism:
1. District Commission (local level)
2. State Commission (state/UT level)
3. National Commission (NCDRC) (national level)
15 Key Differences Between District, State &
National Commissions
National
Basis of District State
Commission
Difference Commission Commission
(NCDRC)
1. Level of Functions at district Functions at Functions at
Operation level state/UT level national level
2. Jurisdiction
Above ₹1 crore
(Value of Up to ₹1 crore Above ₹10 crore
up to ₹10 crore
Complaint)
President + 2 President + 4 President + 4
3. Composition
members (min.) members (min.) members (min.)
4. Appointment By State By State By Central
Authority Government Government Government
5. President Must be a District Must be a High Must be a
Qualification Judge Court Judge Supreme Court
(sitting/retired) (sitting/retired) Judge
National
Basis of District State
Commission
Difference Commission Commission
(NCDRC)
(sitting/retired)
6. Tenure of Up to 5 years or Up to 5 years or Up to 5 years or
Members until age 65 until age 67 until age 70
Appeals go to Appeals go to
7. Appeal Appeals go to State
National Supreme Court
Authority Commission
Commission of India
8. Number of One in each Only one (New
One in each district
Commissions state/UT Delhi)
Powers like a civil
Same powers but Same powers,
court (summon,
9. Powers covering state- applicable
evidence,
level cases nationwide
compensation)
State-level Large national
10. Scope of
Small/local disputes disputes, appeals disputes, appeals
Cases
from districts from states
A consumer buys a A builder delays a A telecom
11. Example of
TV worth ₹70 lakh ₹5 crore housing company dispute
Case
with defects project worth ₹100 crore
Supervises all
Monitors consumer
12. Supervisory district Supervises state
forums within
Role commissions in commissions
district
the state
13. E-filing
Available Available Available
Availability
14. Number of
Members President + 1 President + 2 President + 2
Required for member members members
Quorum
15. Nature of Binding within Binding within Binding across
Orders district state/UT India
✅ In summary:
District Commission → For small/local disputes (up to ₹1 crore).
State Commission → For medium disputes (₹1–10 crore) and appeals
from districts.
National Commission (NCDRC) → For high-value disputes (above
₹10 crore) and appeals from states.
