Section70
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Administrative control

In force Act 35 of 2019 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 35 of 2019 Ministry Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Enacted 09 Aug 2019 Cited by 2 provisions

Commencement. 24th July, 2020.-- S. 2 clauses (4), (13), (14), (16), (40), s. 10 to 27 (both inclusive), sub-clause (iv) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 58, s. 88, 89, 92 and 93, 94, 96, 97 and 99, clause (f) to (m) of sub-section 2 and clauses (zg), (zh) and (zi) of sub-section 2 of s. 101, 104, vide notification No. S.O. 2421(E), dated 23rd July 2020, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).

Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 deals with administrative control. The National Commission shall have the authority to lay down such adequate standards in consultation with the Central Government from time to time, for better protection of the interests of consumers and for that purpose, shall have administrative control over all the State Commissions in the follow The Act was enacted on 09 Aug 2019.

(1) The National Commission shall have the authority to lay down such adequate standards in consultation with the Central Government from time to time, for better protection of the interests of consumers and for that purpose, shall have administrative control over all the State Commissions in the following matters, namely:--

(a) monitoring performance of the State Commissions in terms of their disposal by calling for periodical returns regarding the institution, disposal and pendency of cases;

(b) investigating into any allegations against the President and members of a State Commission and submitting inquiry report to the State Government concerned along with copy endorsed to the Central Government for necessary action;

(c) issuance of instructions regarding adoption of uniform procedure in the hearing of matters, prior service of copies of documents produced by one party to the opposite parties, furnishing of english translation of judgments written in any language, speedy grant of copies of documents;

(d) overseeing the functioning of the State Commission or the District Commission either by way of inspection or by any other means, as the National Commission may like to order from time to time, to ensure that the objects and purposes of the Act are best served and the standards set by the National Commission are implemented without interfering with their quasi-judicial freedom.

(2) There shall be a monitoring cell to be constituted by the President of the National Commission to oversee the functioning of the State Commissions from the administrative point of view.

(3) The State Commission shall have administrative control over all the District Commissions within its jurisdiction in all matters referred to in sub-section (1).

(4) The National Commission and the State Commissions shall furnish to the Central Government periodically or as and when required, any information including the pendency of cases in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

(5) The State Commission shall furnish, periodically or as and when required to the State Government any information including pendency of cases in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

Section 70, The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (Act 35 of 2019).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Related judgements & precedents

These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.

  1. State of U. P. through Principal Secretary vs All U. P. Consumer Protection Bar Association

    Supreme Court of India 11 Sep 2018 Binding (Supreme Court)

    Decided under consumer-protection-act-1986 24B, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    The Court held that administrative control over the State Commissions vests in the President of the National Commission and over the District fora in the Presidents of the State Commissions, extending to assignment of judicial and administrative work, posting, transfer and control over members, selection, appointment and discipline of staff, and provisioning of infrastructure; it directed the National Commission to frame regulations to effectuate that control and the States to adopt model rules on service conditions.

    On this section: Decided on section 24B(1)(iii) and 24B(2) of the 1986 Act, which a later High Court has held to be pari materia with section 70, and supplies the content of the administrative control that section 70 now vests in the National Commission over the State Commissions.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

  2. Hp State Consumer Fora Employees Welfare Association vs The Principal Secretary (fcs, Ca)

    High Court 08 Apr 2025 Persuasive (High Court, Division Bench) Marked not reportable

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    Holding section 70 to be pari materia with section 24B of the repealed 1986 Act, the Court held that the administrative control it confers carries with it the President of the State Commission's authority as appointing and disciplinary authority over the whole staff of the Commission, the Registrar included; a State notification making the Registrar's post a cadre post of the State Administrative Service was quashed because a Registrar drawn from the State cadre would leave the President without disciplinary control.

    On this section: Directly construes the scope of the administrative control vested by section 70 and uses it to strike down a State recruitment notification that undercut the President's control over the Commission's own establishment.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.

Judgments citing this section

These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.

  1. High Court 08 Apr 2025 HPHC010451552024

    … > "Registrar" means the head of the ministerial establishment of the Consumer Commission and exercising such powers and functions as are conferred upon him by the President of the Consumer Commission." 4. It is further averred that provisions of Section 24B of the Repealed Act are pari materia of Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and such provision came up for consideration before the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No.2740 of 2007 titled State of U.P & ors. Vs. All U.P Consumer Protection Bar Association and decided on 21.11.2016, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court categorically held that …

    Read this order on eCourtsIndia

  2. High Court 06 Feb 2024 HBHC010596112023

    … Aggrieved by the said Judgment, the petitioner preferred an appeal in Crl.A.No.1279 of 2O16 before tleis Court and the same is pending. It is stated that pending said appeal, Petty Case No.894 of 2OLL under Section 70 (B) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and Section 323 of IPC on file of Kamatipura Police Station, Hyderabad, was registere against the petitioner. It is stated that in view of involvement of criminat cases, respondent-police opened rowdy sheet against ttre petitioner as per the proceedings o[ the Assistant …

    Read this order on eCourtsIndia

Questions about Section 70

What have the courts held on Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act?

State of U. P. through Principal Secretary vs All U. P. Consumer Protection Bar Association (11 Sep 2018) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under CONSUMER-PROTECTION-ACT-1986 24B, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Decided on section 24B(1)(iii) and 24B(2) of the 1986 Act, which a later High Court has held to be pari materia with section 70, and supplies the content of the administrative control that section 70 now vests in the National Commission over the State Commissions. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below, 1 of them from the Supreme Court. They run from 2018 to 2025.

How do I find court cases under Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Consumer Protection Act 70, section 70 Consumer Protection Act, section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with State of U. P. through Principal Secretary vs All U. P. Consumer Protection Bar Association (11 Sep 2018).

What should I read with Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act, and has it changed?

2 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.

When was Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act enacted?

Section 70 of the Consumer Protection Act, cited as Consumer Protection Act 70, was enacted on 09 Aug 2019 as Act 35 of 2019. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.