Bhopal News: Staff Crunch Slows Consumer Justice In Madhya Pradesh
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Shortage of staff, delays in case disposal and gaps in access to consumer courts continue to affect the delivery of justice in Madhya Pradesh, raising concerns over the efficiency of the redressal system.
Madhya Pradesh has been ranked second among 19 large and mid-sized states with a score of 5.92 out of 10 in the Consumer Justice Report 2026. Despite this high ranking, the report flags several lapses in the state’s consumer justice system.
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According to the report, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) in Madhya Pradesh is functioning with only 36 sanctioned staff posts, significantly lower than states like Rajasthan, which has 130 posts despite handling a comparable caseload. The situation is further strained by 20% vacancies in staff positions, directly impacting the pace of hearings and case disposal.
While the state maintains a reasonable case clearance rate, clearance rates are declining and pendency has increased by 21% over the past five years. Cases meant to be resolved within three to five months often take years, with a significant proportion remaining pending for long durations.
Advocate Jagdish Sharma, who regularly handles consumer forum cases, said the system appeared efficient on paper but, in practice, cases took years. He said there was a clear shortage of staff and infrastructure. As a result, many consumers lose patience and withdraw their complaints.
The report also highlights ineffective use of mediation, a key mechanism meant to reduce case burden. Madhya Pradesh referred 56 cases to mediation, the highest among large states, but disposed of only 19.6% of them. Similarly, Lok Adalat remain underutilised, adding to the burden on formal courts.
At the district level, challenges persist despite available infrastructure, with nearly one in 10 districts lacking a consumer commission, limiting accessibility, particularly for smaller cases.
Another key gap is the lack of decentralisation. Unlike Maharashtra and Rajasthan, which have established multiple regional or circuit benches, Madhya Pradesh has not set up additional benches.
“The current situation is like a traffic jam, cases only move forward when earlier ones are cleared, resulting in a continuous backlog,” Sharma said. He added that the process involves multiple stages, including a mandatory 30-day period for filing replies, followed by additional time for rejoinders and affidavits.
These steps make the system lengthy and complex. Hearings are often spaced weeks or even months apart, and since judgments are rarely delivered in a single sitting, cases are prolonged further.
Rishita Tomar
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