'Rehabilitation centres for retired judges': CJI Surya Kant raps consumer forums over case pendency

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered a performance audit of consumer commissions across the country, questioning whether retired judges appointed to these bodies had become rehabilitation centers for retirees without adequate accountability. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, expressed concern over prolonged pendency and poor disposal of consumer disputes.

The bench took strong exception to reports of inadequate infrastructure and deficiencies in appointments, emphasizing that retiree appointments to these forums should not be treated as mere post-retirement rehabilitation. The court directed the presidents of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and state consumer commissions to conduct an evaluation of their performance over the last three years, providing reports on total pendency, commission composition, average disposal rates, estimated time to clear backlog, and potential need for increased strength.