- (1.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioner.
(2.) The petitioner prays for a mandamus for an early disposal of the appeal filed before the State Consumer Forum. The petitioner has relied on a Division Bench order in Writ Petition No. 511 (MB) of 2014: Bala Devi versus The State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, U.P. and others. dated 22.1.2014 to contend that such a direction for expeditious disposal of the appeal can be issued by this Court.
(3.) The status of a District Consumer Forum and a State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission which is hearing an appeal is to be gathered from the nature of the composition of such forum and the jurisdiction exercised by it. The District Consumer Forum is chaired by a person who has held the rank of a District Judge, whereas the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission is chaired by a person who has held the office of Judge of a High Court. It is thus, clear that these forums are chaired by the persons having occupied judicial offices. The Consumer Protection Act in sub-sections (4) to sub-section (7) of Section 13 clearly provides that the District Consumer Forum shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purpose of Section 195, and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The provisions of Code of the Civil Procedure, to the extent indicated therein, have been made applicable.;