J.S. Verma, J. —The petitioner in an Advocate and a member of the Bar Association of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana. He filed a writ petition in the High Court of Punjab & Haryana challenging the appointment of Shri M.R. Agnihotri, a former Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court as the President of the Haryana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on completion of the term of Shri S.S. Sandhewalia, a former Chief Justice of the High Court, with effect from June 30,1994. The challenge was made on the ground that the appointment of Shri M.R. Angihotri was not in accordance with Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and in consonance with the principles applicable for making such an appointment. That writ petition (C.W.P. No. 7067 of 1994) was transferred to this Court for decision, in view of the importance of the question involved.

2. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 prescribes in Section 16 for the composition of the State Commission as under :

“Composition of the State Commission— (1) Each State Commission shall consist of —

(a) a person who is or has been a Judge of a High Court, appointed by the State Government, who shall be its President :

[Provided