(1.) By these Applications, purportedly filed under Section 22B read with Section 24B of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (for short "the Act "), the Complainants pray for transfer of the Consumer Complaints No.675 and 676 of 2013, stated to be pending before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Vikas Bhawan, ITO, New Delhi (for short "the District Forum ") to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi (for short "the State Commission ") and stay of the proceedings before the District Forum in the said Complaints.
(2.) In the Applications, it is stated that the pleadings and the exercise to file the evidence by way of affidavits were completed as far back as in December 2014 and the case is pending for final arguments since 23.3.2015 and hence the entire object of the Act for expeditious disposal of the Complaints has been defeated.
(3.) We have heard learned Counsel for the Applicants for some time. In support of his submission that the administrative control over the Consumer Fora below being vested in this Commission in terms of Section 24B, in particular under sub-section (iii) of Section (1) of the said provision, it is obligatory upon this Commission to ensure that the object and purpose of the Act is best served, by directing the lower Fora to dispose of the Complaints at the earliest, learned Counsel has pressed into service the following observations by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Bijoy Sinha Roy (D) by LR. Vs. Biswanath Das and Ors. - 2017 (11) SCALE 391 :