JUDGMENT

Dr. D.Y. CHANDRACHUD, J.

1. The deficiency of infrastructure in the adjudicatory fora constituted under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has led to several directions of this Court in the course of the proceedings in this case. On 14 January 2016, this Court constituted a Committee presided over by Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat, a former judge of this Court, to examine :

(i) the infrastructural requirements of the State Commissions, deficiencies in infrastructure and remedial measures;

(ii) the position of vacancies of members at the national, state and district level;

(iii) the need for additional Benches at the national, state and district level;

(iv) conditions of eligibility for appointment of non-judicial members;

(v) administrative powers which have been or should be conferred on the presiding officers of the state and district fora;

(vi) service conditions including pay scales governing the presiding officers and members;

(vii) requirements of staff;

(viii) creation of a separate cadre of staff at the national, state and district level; and

(ix) other relevant issues.

The Committee was requested, while examining these issues, to submit its recommendations. The Committe