A Bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Vikas Budhwar passed the interim order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that flagged concern over the failure to fill vacancies arising in district consumer courts in the State after members retire.
The Court was told that new appointments to the district consumer fora could not be made as a case involving a challenge to the validity of the rules governing such appointments was yet to be decided by the Supreme Court.
The Bench observed that there is no certainty on when the Supreme Court may decide on the matter. Therefore, it directed retiring members of the district commissions to continue in their posts for the time-being.
“As the timeline pertaining to outcome of the matter pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court is totally uncertain and the posts in various District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission would keep on becoming vacant on account of the tenure of the Members coming to an end, in view of the interim order granted by Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Ganeshkumar Rajeshwarrao Selukar & Ors (supra), on 21.05.2024, we deem it appropriate and, therefore, direct that those Chairmen and Members, who are still in service, shall be continued till further orders. The said order would be subject to the outcome of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” the May 31 order stated.
Source: Barandbench
