Thousands of Mumbaikars are waiting longer than ever for justice as staff shortages cripple consumer courts, despite presidents being in place between 2021 and 2025, according to the latest Consumer Justice Report, released on Wednesday (March 18).
Not a single year saw full member strength across the four Mumbai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (DCDRCs). By 2025, three operated with just one member, while Mumbai Suburban Additional had both seats vacant for three straight years (2023-2025).
Maharashtra ranked 11th among 19 states, while Andhra Pradesh topped and Telangana ranked last, highlighting widening gaps in consumer justice delivery.
RTI revelations
The Mumbai Suburban DCDRC has gaps in representation, case clearance, and fund utilisation, according to RTI data.
Representation: Between 2021 and 2025, the commission never appointed a woman member, reporting a woman representative only in 2023 when the president was female.
Caseload: From 2022-2025, the four Mumbai DCDRCs cleared just 36 per cent of 4388 cases; Mumbai Suburban performed worst at 19.5 per cent, clearing only five per cent of 575 cases in 2024. Central Mumbai and Mumbai Suburban together handled over 60 per cent of filings.
Budget: Mumbai Suburban received R13.3 crore (47 per cent of total R28.6 crore) but utilised only 41 per cent, dropping to 26 per cent in 2024-25. Other commissions fully utilised funds in 2023-24.
Impact: Experts warn that vacancies, low case clearance, and poor fund utilisation undermine consumer confidence in Mumbai’s grievance redressal system.
‘Strong system needed’
‘Mumbai, India’s financial capital, which has some of the highest household consumption levels, deserves a stronger consumer redressal system. Yet, its four district commissions cleared only 36 per cent of 4388 cases (2022-2025). No year saw all posts filled, and staff shortages persist. With cases pending beyond three years despite a six-month mandate, the system is failing to keep pace with the city’s growing consumer demand’.
Valay Singh, project lead, India Justice Report.
Why this matters
>> Mumbai is not just India’s financial capital but also one of its busiest consumer markets
>> Disputes from real estate to online shopping are growing in volume
>> With rising consumer spending across state, especially beyond metros, burden on courts to rise
The report that was released on March 18
Expert view
Legal experts warn that vacancies are not just administrative lapses; they directly impact justice delivery. Fewer members mean slower hearings, longer waits, and growing frustration among citizens.
