JUDGMENT: Altamas Kabir, J.

1. Civil Appeal No.6447 of 2001 has been taken up for hearing along with five other matters, namely, Special Leave Petition (C) No.15469 of 2005, Special Leave Petition (C) No.16573 of 2006, Special Leave Petition (C) No. 20260 of 2004, Special Leave Petition (C) No.8661 of 2004 and Civil Appeal No.2629 of 2006. All the said matters are directed against orders passed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on Revision Petitions filed from orders passed by the State Commission, Kerala, in appeal from orders passed by the District Forum. All of them involve a common question of law and fact and have thus been taken up together for hearing and final disposal.

2. Of the five matters, Special Leave Petition (C) Nos. 20260 of 2004 and Special Leave Petition (C) No. 8661 of 2004 have been filed against order dated 30.7.2002 passed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (hereinafter referred to as 'the National Commission') dismissing the Revision Petitions filed by the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner for condonation of delay in filing the Review Petition. Both the Revision Petitions were dismissed on the ground that the delay