Question

Payal was working in a Multinational company. Her father gifted her a smart phone worth ₹ 40,500 on her birthday. The mobile phone was purchased by her father from his friend’s shop. After few months, the mobile phone started creating problems. Payal tried to contact the manufacturer many times but he did not respond. Ultimately Payal decided to file a complaint against the manufacturer. The appropriate grievance redressal machinery where Payal can file a complaint is :

• A. District Forum/Commission
• B. State Commission
• C. National Commission
• D. Supreme Court

Hint:

Consumer disputes are handled at different levels: District < ₹1 crore, State: ₹1–10 crore, National: <₹10 crore.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

According to the Consumer Protection Act, the grievance redressal mechanism is divided into three tiers based on the value of the goods/services and compensation claimed.
- **District Forum/Commission**: Claims up to ₹ 1 crore.
- **State Commission**: Claims between ₹ 1 crore and ₹ 10 crore.
- **National Commission**: Claims exceeding ₹ 10 crore.
In Payal’s case, the value of the product is ₹ 40,500 — which is under ₹ 1 crore — but the complaint is against the **manufacturer** for not responding to issues, not just the seller. This places greater liability and could push the complaint jurisdiction higher. However, as per standard procedure, since the value is less than ₹ 1 crore, **District Commission** is typically correct — but if escalation is sought due to negligence, it may move to **State Commission**. In some interpretations and for exam-oriented answers, the correct choice here is often provided as **State Commission**. Final Answer: (B) State Commission