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National Seminar

on

Emerging Trends in Consumerism in India

M.P. Law College, Aurangabad (M.S.) (August 27-28, 2011)

The Centre for Consumer Studies, IIPA organized two day National Seminar

on “Emerging Trends in Consumerism in India” on August 27-28, 2011 in

collaboration with M. P. Law College Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Around 100

participants participated in the seminar which included academicians, lawyers,

members from civil society organizations and students. The sub-themes of the

seminar were: 1. Green Consumerism; 2. Consumerism and Advertisement; 3.

Consumerism and Medical Profession; 4. Consumerism and Legal Profession.

Around 52 papers were presented in two days in four technical sessions.

Dr. C. M. Rao, Principal, M. P. Law College, Aurangabad welcomed all the

dignitaries and participants and introduced the theme of the seminar. He said that

the issue of consumer protection is of universal importance as everybody in the

world, rich or poor, is a consumer and gets cheated at some point of time by the

malpractices prevailing in the market. So there is urgent need to deliberate on the

Rangoli prepared by the students on the Seminar

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issue to raise awareness among all strata of the society. The teachers and students

can play a major role in generating awareness among the society on the issue.

The Seminar was inaugurated by

Hon’ble Justice P. V. Reddi,

Chairman, Law Commission of

India. In his speech Justice P. V.

Reddi, opined on various aspects

of application of the Consumer

Protection Act and the changes

required in the Consumer

Protection Act to meet the

emerging challenges of

consumerism. He said that the

seminar which has been organised today of seminal importance as Consumer

Protection and Consumer Welfare is essential for welfare of the nation and indicator

of good governance. The consumers are uneducated lot without any protection,

placed in an unequal position wherein they are unable to face the strong and mighty

business. By the unscrupulous and unfair practices by the traders and service

providers, the consumers are handicapped in many ways. The poor and uneducated

are still more vulnerable and exploited class. This all mandated the creation of legal

protection for the consumers. In era of globalisation consumer has very little option

to bargain, the seller basically rules. Though new channels for purchase have been

created through science and technology but those has given rise to new and

challenging problems. These new problems which have arisen due to rapid scientific

development need to be addressed and resolved by government, regulatory bodies

and Civil Society to provide a better environment to the consumers.

He said that the CPA has given new thrust to consumer protection and has

given six substantive rights to consumers. It is a milestone in consumer movement

and has provided new roadmap to consumerism. New jurisprudence has developed

wherein even class action and action by NGO is possible. Under the Act action

against the unfair and restrictive trade practices against the business can be

initiated. The complaint can also be brought against defective goods, deficient

Justice P.B. Reddi, Chairman Law Commission inaugurating the Seminar

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services and even against prices charged more than MRP. The definition of

consumer and service is very wide. A three tier redressal mechanism has been

established under the Act at the National, State and District levels to provide speedy,

quick and inexpensive justice to the consumers. Councils have also under been

created under the Act at three levels to provide solutions to the problems of the

consumers. Besides CPA there are other legislations also provide for protection of

consumers.

The law cannot remain static; it has to be change with changing time and

specific needs of the society and develop accordingly. The CPA has also undergone

amendments thrice to evolve to the changing needs. More than two decades have

passed after the enactment of the Act and now based on the experience, problem

areas and the progress made there is need for a fresh introspection and accordingly

changes need to be made. There is, however, no doubt that the establishment of

forum at District level has been are boom to the society and has given relief to many

aggrieved consumers for the services provided by the professionals and other

statutory bodies as they are also come within the preview of the Act.

The quasi judicial bodies under the Act are riddled with many problems which

is causing delay and pendency. There is large pendency of cases on execution of

orders though Act provides for high penalties which even include attachment of

property and imprisonment. However, for attachment the order has to be sent to the

collector which is a tardy procedure and there is no other back up procedure. The

control over SCDRCs and forums has been vested with NCDRC and SCDRC

exercises control over District Forums. This is a good provision but it needs to be

studied to see where control is required more. The appointment of members also

requires serious consideration. The payment of honorarium to the members also

needs to be looked into as in many states the members are paid very less. Additional

benches are also required for quick redressal of complaints as at many places the

pendency is very high. ADR mechanism can also be a good alternative as it will

reduce the burden on the consumer forums. Lokadalats also need to be held by

District Forum and commission, for this provision is required to be introduced in law.

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Justice Reddy lamented that inadequate implementation of laws in India is a

major problem. Merely enacting more and more law is not sufficient it is required to

be implemented properly and effectively. Under the CPA also it needs to be

examined whether councils are meeting regularly, whether District Magistrate gets

time to convene the meetings of District Council; all this needs serious

considerations to make these councils more effective. There must be somebody to

keep a watch over the service providers about deficiency and help the consumers.

There is also need for more awareness at the grass root level and here the NGOs

can play an important role. There are hardly any laboratories where the consumers

can have easy access. These are some of the practical problems which need to be

taken care by the government.

Advertisement no doubt is major source of information to the consumers

regarding the products and services available in the market. However, the

misleading information which is being passed on to the consumers’ through these

ads is becoming affecting the consumers’ right to information and choice. Such ads

need to be dealt seriously and curbed for the benefit of the consumers. The Law

commission regarding the ads has two agendas. Firstly, the morality and ethics of

the society are to be taken care of in such misleading advertisement. For example,

the advertisement where the massage parlours show nude photos of ladies and

when objections are raised by ASCI they take the plea of freedom of expression and

sex education need to be dealt strictly. Secondly, misleading advertisement by

Babas where they claim that they can solve any problem regarding marriage, health

problems, etc. by astrology. Herein the problem is whether astrology is a science

and can be used to solve such problems.

In the Consumer Forums the complaints against the medical profession are

on the rise. The standard of care required has been laid down in Jacob Mathews and

many other SC judgements. However there are various diversions in the applicability

by the judges which requires to be reconciled. One of the major problems of the

present day is over consumption. With the emergence of the consumer society the

luxuries and wants are becoming needs and everybody desires to have more and

more for himself without caring for the humanity as a whole. Thus there is urgent

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need to adopt green consumerism and also deal with the disposal of the waste is

more efficient way.

Hon’ble Justice V.R.

Kingaonkar, Member, National

Consumer Disputes Redressal

Commission was the Guest of

Honour on the occasion. Justice

V.R. Kingaonkar highlighted the

advantages of the Consumer

Protection Act and the ways in

which consumer disputes are

decided. He said that the

consumerism is not a new concept.

It started since Donoghue V.

Stevenson way back in 1932 wherein House of Lord held that manufacturer or trader

has certain duties towards the buyer. Ralph Nadar who was the crusader in the

consumer movement, started it in 1960 in US. It was John F. Kennedy who in 1962

introduced the Bill of Consumer Rights in U.S. Congress where there were four

consumer rights viz. right to safety, right to choose, right to be informed, and right to

be heard. Later four more rights which included right to satisfaction of basic needs,

right to seek redressal, right to consumer education and right to a healthy

environment were added to the list. It was after the adoption of the U.N Guidelines

on Consumer Protection in 1985, most of developed and developing countries

enacted the laws in respective countries to provide adequate protection to the

consumers.

He said that there is need to look at consumer protection from different

angles. There are various provisions in the laws which do not keep consonance with

common law for example section 30 of Advocates Act provides only advocates have

right to represent before any court/fora. However, CPA allows anybody to represent

which includes consumers, NGO and government. Two things need to be seen that

the system under the Consumer Protection and Human Rights has to be

distinguished with the general delivery system of country. Like applicability of

Consumer Protection act to extra territorial jurisdiction cases like it has applied to

Hon’ble Justice V.R. Kingaonkar, Member, NCDRC addressing the participants

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Ethopian airlines where it lifted cargo from India and delivered in any other country.

The justice delivery system has to be given global interpretation.

The CPA and allied laws gives umbrella protection to consumers so they need

to be studied together and applied. In one of the cases advertisement was published

which depicted that job would be given outside India and in caption it was written

“employer’s guarantee.” The student paid heavy fee to eventually find out that what

was available was only the list of employers. The complaint was filed by one of the

young man who was deceived by the misleading advertisement. The contention of

the organisation was that we had not guaranteed job we have only guaranteed

employer. It was held that the students have been deceived through misleading

advertisement. The young people do not have experience and this is an easy way in

which they can be cheated. As all were young students in search of job it was

directed by National Commission that a compensation which was on a higher side be

paid to them by the opposite party. Similarly advertisements like increase in height

captioned as ‘Big B’ are assurances of something magical and frustrate the

consumer and are to be dealt severely. Then there are sales and combo offers which

write words like ‘upto’ in small words so that consumer does not know about it. In

such sales substandard goods are sold. All these amount to unfair trade practices

and wherein the complaints of such kind have gone before the quasi-judicial

machinery they have been dealt with sternly.

Medical profession comes under Consumer Protection Act as it is one of the

services given for consideration by the doctors and hospitals. Due to this now the

doctors have started following defensive practices wherein they get the tests done

for small problems just to avoid their liability under CPA. This is causing a lot of

hardship to the consumers. There is need to reconcile the rights of the consumers

against the doctors and the need to protect the reputation of the doctor to avoid

unnecessary conflict between the two. As a practice the name of the doctor should

not be published in media unless he is proved guilty. Then there are quacks about

whom the consumers should be informed to avoid harm to them. The laws of

beneficial nature are effective only if implemented properly. In the CPA execution of

orders is one of the major problems. Sometimes the service of notice also becomes

a problem as the person is difficult to locate.

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Talking on sustainable consumption he said, as regards green consumerism

is concerned, there is need to change the attitude of consumers so that they can

make difference in need and greed. The deliberations on such topics are important

to clear our ideas and provide a platform to give suggestions which can provide valid

input to the government. Martin Luther king has once said that we should either learn

to live together as brothers or we are to perish as fools. The same is true even for

the consumers, who need to be organised and be together otherwise they will perish

on fools.

Prof. (Dr.) R Venkat Rao, Vice

Chancellor, National Law School of

India University, Bangalore delivered

the Keynote Address. He said that

Justice Ahmedi has said judicial

activism is offshoot of common man’s

activism similarly consumerism is

consumer’s activism. He cited one of

the cases of medical negligence in

USA where a lady who had no problem

had to go for the heart transplant. He

said that the doctor, advocate and

clinch man were once considered as noble men as generally people go to them only

when they have suffering and distress and they try to ameliorate the sufferings of

common man. But today the standards of morality and ethics have gone down so

much that we are discussing deficiency in service in these fiduciary relationships.

Now the private hospital are being told to reserve beds for poor people and give free

treatment; similarly the private schools are to required to reserve 25% seats for BPL

students under RTE Act. This is also being fought tooth and nail.

Vindication of consumer rights is just the beginning but what is required is

easy access to consumers to all services. Environmentalism is no more elitist what is

required is that common man should be involved in it. Advertisements take the

consumers for a ride. You have celebrity advertisements as that is an easy way to

mislead people as everybody wants to become celebrity and so try to follow them.

Prof. (Dr.) R Venkat Rao, Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University,

Bangalore delivering the Keynote Address

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The question is can law deal with every greed and avarice? It can never. The

consumers are combination of three: victims, colluders and complainants. Nowadays

life styles have become more important. The consumerism has become pejorative

sense. There is need to reduce greed and luxuries and restrict to wants.

At the end of the Inaugural Session dignitaries also released wallpapers

prepared by student members of the Research Club of M. P. Law College on the

sub-themes of the Seminar.

The seminar was divided in four sessions on Green Consumerism;

Consumerism and Advertisement; Consumerism and Medical Profession;

Consumerism and Legal Profession. In the first technical session on Green

Consumerism Prof. Dr.Kesava Rao, Dean, Faculty of Law, Andhra University and

Principal Dr. Ch. Sudhakara Babu, JKC College of Law, Guntur were resource

persons for the session. Dr. Sudhakar Babu, spoke on nature friendly green

products. He opined that Nature takes care of itself. Excessive wastes are generated

from excessive wants and there is a need to control it. Thirteen papers were

presented on various aspects of the sustainable and green consumerism.

The papers on Green Consumerism highlighted that no doubt Consumption

as Indicator of growth but uncontrolled consumerism is a threat to environment.

Globalization and availability of goods and services have encouraged unsustainable

consumption and the trend of use and throw is on increase. 3R- Reduce Reuse and

Recycle need to be adopted to avoid over exploitation of natural resources both

renewable and non-renewable. Irresponsible Consumption is not only putting stress

Dignitaries releasing the wallpapers

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on environment but also reducing Gross Natural Happiness. UN Guidelines on

Consumer Protection 1999 also now stress on sustainable consumption. However

consumers now face a number of problems while adopting environmentally sound

products. Papers also provided certain examples on how Green Trends can be

increased like use of C.N.G., e-vehicles Pollution by motor vehicle. Green

consumerism movement started from America in 1990 however, again disappeared

because no suitable alternative appeared. The solution to the problem is simple,

ethical, necessity based consumption avoiding advertisement impact and temptation.

Thus there is need for government, business, civil society to take steps and provide

consumers with alternatives to adopt to bring a change in their lifestyle. For this

tracing consumers’ consumption patterns are also necessary

For the second session on ‘Advertisement and

Consumerism’, and Shri Prashant Godbole, Founder

Ideas@work were the resource persons. Dr. V.

Kesava Rao said that the advertisement is

salesmanship. It includes any notice, label or

wrapper and many more things which provide

information regarding the product or service. He

discussed various categories of advertisement and

advertisement

practices.

Through a

number of

examples of Bargain sale, offering prizes, etc. he

highlighted how consumers are cheated by

advertisement. He highlighted provisions under

various laws which prevent misleading ads. He

also elaborated the definition of unfair trade

practice under CPA which also includes within

its ambit the misleading advertising. He said it

is duty of all the stakeholders viz. producers, traders, artists, media, etc. to see that

the ads are not misleading and pass on correct information to the consumers. Shri

Prashant Godbole presented the first hand view of advertisements from the

Prof. Kesava Rao, Dean Faculty of Law, Andhra University addressing

the participants

Shri Prashant Godbole making the audio-visual presentation

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advertiser’s point of view. He said that industry spends huge amount on

advertisement. It involves a number of people like artist, producers, advocates and

many professional who give a shape to the advertisement we come across. Through

audiovisual presentations he presented some misleading advertisements which were

banned and why. He also highlighted the role of ASCI in controlling content of

advertisements.

Eighteen papers were presented in the session. These papers drew attention

to a number of important issues relating to advertising and its effect on consumers.

in olden days advertisement was not available; it has originated with industrialization

to popularise the products and to draw the attention of consumers. Advertisements

have both positive and negative aspects. The misleading advertisement and

unethical message are passing wrong information to the consumers and leading to

consumer exploitation. There is need for regulatory mechanism to check unfair trade

practices in advertising. It was also said that there is requirement of Pre Censor

Committee before release of advertisement. The regulatory bodies like SEBI and

ASCI need to play more proactive role in controlling the advertisements. There is

requirement of suo-motu power for consumer forums and other regulatory bodies to

control advertisement. One of the paper presenters also highlighted the effect of

advertisement on the consumers of real estate wherein due to misleading

advertisements many consumers have become victims of unfair trade practices.

There are no clear laws on it. There is also need for a real estate regulator who

should also take cognizance of such unfair trade practices.

The third Session was on ‘Medical Profession and

Consumerism’. Resource Persons for the session were

Prof. (Dr.) A. Rajendra Prasad, Principal, Dr. B. R.

Ambedkar College of law, Andhra University and Dr.

Chaya Diwan, Government Medical College,

Aurangabad. Prof. (Dr.) A. Rajendra Prasad presented

the legal position regarding the medical negligence and

duties of doctors. He said that the doctor-patient

relation is a Contractual relationship. However, the

doctor is also liable for negligence under the law of

Prof. A. Rajendra Prasad, Principal, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of law, speaking on

Medical Negligence

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torts. Medical negligence as an act of commission or omission which a ordinary

competent man is in the profession would not have committed or would not have

failed to do. The test is of ordinary competent man. Neither very high nor very low

competence is expected from the professional. Liability of Medical Professional is for

compensation for the injury suffered by the patient. Medical Professional is required

to have proper documentation and take informed consent from the patient before

giving the treatment. Medical Profession no more a noble profession, it has become

a service under the CPA and can be held guilty for deficiency in service.

Dr. Chaya Diwan presented the doctor’s

point of view on the issue of medical negligence

and the practical problems faced by doctors

particularly in Govt. Hospitals while treating the

patients. These Practical problems include lack of

resources, over burden and sometimes the patient

himself also contributes to the negligence. In such

a scenario it is also required that the doctors

should also be given some protection to prevent

unnecessary harm to their reputation. It is

important for both the doctors and patients to

understand their responsibilities for a healthy

Doctor-patient relationship.

Thirteen papers presented in the session discussed the judicial trend in

medical negligence, how Commercialization has affected medical profession,

reasons for medical fraternity to go against interest of people and rights and duties of

doctor and patients. There is constant increase in cases of medical negligence for

which dearth of adequate medical facilities at hospitals and falling standards of

professional competence are also the reasons. There is need for providing adequate

remedies to the consumers for such deficiencies. One of the paper on ‘Reasonable

prices of drugs – A demand for right to Health’ also discussed the effect of high

pricing of drugs on consumers and need for Ethical code for prescription of generic

Dr. Chaya Diwan presented the doctor’s point of view on medical

negligence

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drugs. It was also emphasized that there is need for investigative machinery to look

into such matters.

The fourth Session was on ‘Legal Profession

and Consumerism’. Prof. Advocate (Dr.) Santosh

Shah from Kolhapur and Prof. S.S. Prakash from

NLIU, Bhopal were the resource persons from the

session. They discussed the Liabilities of the legal

professionals under CPA, Torts and other laws. They

also emphasized on the need for improving the

Efficiency of lawyers and strengthening the

provisions of law to bring accountability among the

legal fraternity. Eight papers were presented in the

session. There was emphasis in one of the papers on

Relaxing BCI Rule 36 in the era of Globalization

which prohibits advertising by legal professionals

which handicaps then m in the era of globalization when Indian legal professional

faces stiff competition from foreign legal firms. Advertisements are allowed in other

countries but not allowed in India which handicaps them in reaching out to

consumers. It was emphasized that Rule 36 must by amended in tune with the

changing scenario. The other papers highlighted on professional negligence and

duty of lawyer to be more accountable toward their clients. There was also

discussion on Legal Practitioners (Regulation and Maintenance of Standards in

Profession, Protecting the interest of Clients and Promoting Rule of Law) Bill 2010.

The Valedictory Session on August 28, 2011

began with the Address by Prof. Suresh Misra, Chair

Professor and Coordinator, Centre for Consumer

Studies. He addressed the gathering and expressed

his feelings about the outcome in the conducting the

seminar. He thanked the management and college for

organising the seminar in collaboration with Centre for

Consumer Studies, IIPA. The paper presented by the

faculty and students were excellent. The resource

Prof. S.S. Prakash, NLIU, Bhopal speaking on lawyers’ negligence

Prof. Suresh Misra, Chair Professor and Coordinator, CCS

addressing the gathering

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persons were also very good. The contents were of very high quality which will

definitely impart a lot of information on the issues related to consumer protection

among the participants. He said that the Government of India has set up the Centre

at IIPA to take up various activities in the area of Consumer Protection and

Consumer Welfare. The aim of the Centre is to generate awareness among

consumers especially among the rural masses. CCS is an extended arm of DCA and

the creating consumer education is our job. We are also conducting a number of

programmes for various stakeholders which include programme for President and

Members of District Forums, workshop for the coordinators of consumer clubs,

members of NGOs, seminars, conferences etc.

CPA was enacted in 1986 and this year is the silver jubilee year of its

enactment. The irony is that even after 25 years of its enactment we are still thinking

how to take consumer movement forward. The misleading ads, spurious goods and

sale promotion schemes are nothing but means to exploit consumers. MRP is also a

legalized way to befool and exploit consumer. He said today the aspirations and

desires of consumers are very high. The whole theory is Dil Mange More. You go to

mall without any idea of buying anything but come out with a number of bags. ‘The

sensitivity on consumer protection is not there. Today the needs and aspiration of

present generation are quite different. They believe in spending more and more and

not saving. There is a need to make this generation aware. As consumer we have to

look after our welfare. We are all silent sufferers. We do not want to protest and want

others to take up and fight for our cause. We need to be aware of both our rights and

responsibilities as consumers and take initiatives. In this the teachers and students

can play an important role. They can take the consumer movement forward and

generate awareness among the masses who are not so much aware about their

rights and duties as consumers.

Hon’ble Justice S. B. Mhase, President, Maharashtra State Consumer

Disputes Redressal Commission, Mumbai delivered the Valedictory Address. He

highlighted the various problems which are stumbling blocks for the District Forums

to give redressal to consumers like pendency of cases, the lack of resources, small

matters do not reach court and many times the consumer is misled. He said that

there is need to generate awareness among public regarding their consumer rights.

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The awareness generation should begin at

schools as the students are the future of the

country. The Consumer Clubs are required to be

established in school and colleges for consumer

literacy. However, these have not been

established in Maharashtra and the money is lying

unused. Consumer movement is slightly dwindling

down in the state except in big cities. In many

areas very few cases are being filed and the figure

are going down as compared to earlier years of

establishment of District Forums. One of the

reasons is that there is no awareness among the

consumers especially in musafil area. The

consumer drive is required to be taken in these

areas. The problem is the people who suffer are not aware and are not coming

forward.

No doubt the CPA is a very good tool to give redressal to the grievances of

the consumers. However, it needs to be amended to keep pace with time and to

make it more effective and efficient. One serious amendment which is required in

CPA is that tenure appointment needs to be abolished. If a person who is coming

from bar and is appointed as a President for 5 years and he can only be reappointed

for another term, but not beyond has to go back to bar and start afresh. In such a

condition good people will not like to join the forums. Thus to maintain the credibility

of the system and to provide justice to the consumers there is need to evolve a

system which is continuous. Further there is need to maintain discipline among the

Presidents and Members of District Forums and for that cadreization is also

necessary. Maharashtra is fifth in the pendency, 24000 cases are pending in 4

benches in the State Commission. To deal with this pendency there is need for more

benches and infrastructure.

The consumer approaches forum with an expectation that he will get quick

justice and nothing is required to be paid by him as is informed by the ‘Jago Grahak

Jago’ campaign. But when he is told to deposit for court fee, pay to send notice etc.,

Hon’ble Justice S. B. Mhase, President, SCDRC delivering

the Valedictory Address

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he feel cheated and befooled. If the Act is seriously implemented and there is

awareness then most of the problem will be solved. Central and State governments

are also complainant, but till recently no complaint was filed by government. Only

recently government of Maharashtra has filed a complaint regarding the agricultural

claims of the agriculturist. The government should take action and make complaint in

areas like hoarding etc. where the consumer might not have enough information and

would not come forward. Representative litigation by NGOs has also been

contemplated by CPA but not many have approached. It could have been very

effective in case of unfair and restrictive trade practices. Consumers and NGOs

themselves are not aware of many issues which amount to deficiency in service

especially by public service providers like where service is withheld by railways due

to strike and people suffer. There is need that judges who are manning the District

Forums should forget CPC and Evidence Act while disposing consumer complaints.

They should act according to the Principles of Natural Justice and summary

procedure to provide quick justice to the consumers. It requires a radical change in

the thinking of both judges and the lawyers. The lawyers try to introduce lengthy

system of CPC in the quasi-judicial system of CPA to gain time. Consumer courts

are supposed to decide the matter in summary manner as early as possible. Now the

adjournments, cross-examination are being introduced in consumer court which was

not contemplated under CPA. There is need for change in mindset.

The CPA is a benevolent legislation for protection of lay consumers against

mighty and unscrupulous traders. If the matters linger on consumers will get a feeling

that there is no difference between the consumer courts and civil courts and will stop

coming before District Forums. This is what is happening due to the long delays

which are taking place. Summary procedure has been provided and all the powers of

District Court and High Court have been concentrated in SCDRCs and NCDRC for

the quick disposal of the cases with an idea to give quick justice to consumers.

Dr. Vijay Pandharipande, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar

Marathwada University, Aurangabad Chaired the Session. In his Presidential

Speech, he opined that a seminar is meant to be a brainstorming session that will

enlighten the delegates and extract solutions from them in immediate problems that

are in discussion. The requirement is for an action plan and documentation of the

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proceedings which can be instrumental in bringing

changes at policy level. Then only it can be said to

be fruitful. Consumer protection is an Issue of

contemporary relevance for the common man. In

every field the consumer is being cheated. The

medicines which are being sold to consumers cost

the manufacture very less. The consumers are

being forced to buy such medicines. The

companies are indirectly cheating the consumers.

Ads and packaging are the other aspect on which

consumers are cheated. What is use of having

celebrities in ads which results in increase in prices

a lot. The cheap items are sold at high price in

shopping malls. There is need to deliberate on such issues seriously and consumers

need to be made aware about it.

Dr. B. H. Choudhary, Dean, Faculty of Law, Dr.

BAMU, Aurangabad was the Guest of Honour. He opined

that all the subjects at the present seminar were very

relevant and merited some serious thought as it required

urgent and immediate solutions.

(Sapna Chadah) (Suresh Misra)

Seminar Coordinators

Dr. Vijay Pandharipande, VC, Dr. BAM U delivering Presidential Address

Dr. B. H. Choudhary, Dean Faculty of Law, Dr. BAMU

addressing the participants