CHENNAI: As many as 32 president posts and 64 member posts would be vacant in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (DCDRC) in Tamil Nadu in March this year due to their four-year term of office ending, said Empower India Centre for Consumer & Environment Education, Research and Advocacy, an organisation focusing on consumer rights.
In a letter written to the Chief Minister MK Stalin, dated January 19, the honorary secretary, A Sankar, has raised the issue. "The organisation requests the chief minister to instruct the Cooperation, Food & Consumer Protection Department to extend the said posts beyond the March 2026, to enable them to continue in office until the framing of the new rules and the completion of the selection and recruitment process and his direct intervention in this matter and do the needful at the earliest," Sankar said in the letter.
A consumer commission source acknowledged the issue and said, "The Supreme Court has given a directive for the presidents and members to continue in their posts until the new people are hired. Currently, the decision is with the state government as the commission comes under the Co-operation, food and Consumer Protection Department. The representations have already been given to the Tamil Nadu government."
"Already several presidential posts are vacant after retirement, and additional charges are given to the nearby consumer court presidents. In March, April, and May few more people will retire, " he added.