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Bengal

6th Kreta Suraksha Mela starts in city

Kolkata: The first leg of the sixth edition of the annual 'Kreta Suraksha Mela' kicked off on Sunday, as hundreds gathered at the Netaji Indoor Stadium to know more about their consumer rights. While speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the three-day fair organised by the state Consumer Affairs department, the minister of the department Sadhan Pande said that the High Court of the state cannot intervene with the rulings of the consumer court under any circumstance.

"The consumer protection court had sentenced a dishonest promoter to jail. But for that, the High Court had summoned the judge of the consumer court and said that the judge of the consumer court cannot give such a verdict as he does not have the authority to do so. I have filed a case in the Supreme Court regarding this matter and such a case is happening for the first time in Bengal," said Pande.

He further added: "The pertinent question in this matter is how much power does each court hold? In the order of hierarchy, it starts with the consumer court. Then come the state commission and the national commission and at the apex lies the Supreme Court. So, the High Court cannot intervene with the rulings of the consumer court and I am waiting for this judgment from the Supreme Court. The Central government has teamed up with us in this case."

While speaking about the slew of measures taken up by the department to spread awareness, Pande said that several complaint boxes have been installed in all the departments of the state government. When a consumer drops a complaint in one of the boxes, the department will analyse the complaint and send it to the concerned government department.

The inauguration ceremony of the consumer protection fair was also attended by state Education minister Partha Chatterjee and state Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay among others.

Chatterjee said even seven years ago, people were completely unaware of the existence of such a department.

"Sometimes a consumer is sold a flat which has already been sold to three other people or at times, they do not even get a flat after paying the advance. When a complaint is lodged against such people who are duping the consumers, the department takes strict action against them," Chatterjee said.

The annual fair, which will conclude on February 26, witnessed hundreds of consumers on the first day, who gathered around stalls to know more about the Consumer Protection Act and complained about how they had been cheated by several companies.

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