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October 2011

Non-advocates can appear in consumer cases

By Raman Jokhakar, Tarunkumar Singhal
Chartered Accountants
Reading Time 1 mins
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The Supreme Court has ruled that non-lawyers can represent, appear and argue cases filed under the Consumer Protection Act before consumer district forums and commissions.

The Supreme Court passed the directive while dismissing an eight year-old appeal filed by the Bar Council of India against a 2002 Bombay High Court judgment that permitted agents to represent consumers. The Supreme Court Bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari, Justice R. Mukundakam Sharma and Justice Anil Dave on Monday, however, said special guidelines were needed and accordingly, it directed the National Consumer Commission to ‘frame rules within three months’ to regulate the eligibility, ethics and conduct of non-legal representatives. Agents can be friends or relatives but they cannot accept any remuneration and must display competence.

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