• Loreni Tsanglao, NET Correspondent, Nagaland 

Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) recently appealed the state government to implement the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 at the earliest, for empowering consumers and safeguarding their rights.

Stating this in a press statement, NVCO President Kezhokhoto Savi said that Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 came into force from July 20, 2020.

According to Savi, this act aims to empower consumers and help them in protecting their rights through its various notified Rules and provisions like Consumer Protection Councils, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, Mediation, Product Liability and punishment for manufacturer or sale of products containing adulterated or spurious goods.

He further added that concerned act incorporates of – establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for promoting & enforcing the rights of consumers.

“The CCPA will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints or prosecution.” – observed the NVCO President.

“CCPA could also order recall of unsafe goods and services, order discontinuance of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements by imposing penalties on manufacturers or endorsers or publishers of misleading advertisements,” – the release further reads.