The Government recently introduced the Consumer Protection Bill,
2018, in the Lok Sabha to replace the Consumer Protection Act,
1986. The Bill proposes to safeguard the consumer rights on account
of rapid changes that have taken place due to advancements in
e-commerce.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that
"the emergence of global supply chains, rise in
international trade and the rapid development of e-commerce have
led to new delivery systems for goods and services and have
provided new options and opportunities for consumers. Equally, this
has rendered the consumer vulnerable to new forms of unfair trade
and unethical business practices. Misleading advertisements,
telemarketing, multilevel marketing, direct selling and e-commerce
pose new challenges to consumer protection and will require
appropriate and swift executive interventions to prevent consumer
detriment."
