Odisha's Apex Consumer Court in Paralysis Due to Severe Staff Shortages
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) in Odisha is currently functioning in a state of near-paralysis, crippled by a critical lack of support staff that has persisted for almost 14 months. The most glaring issue is the complete absence of a stenographer on duty, forcing commission members to manually write all daily orders and judgments by hand, a situation that has brought the justice delivery system to a grinding halt.
Justice Delivery Slows to a Snail's Pace
This administrative collapse has severely impacted case disposal rates. Between January 2023 and December 2025, the commission managed to deliver a mere 13 judgments on merit, as confirmed by an RTI reply. The officiating president of the SCDRC has repeatedly raised alarms about this crisis through letters addressed to the chief secretary and the food supplies and consumer welfare department for over a year, yet no corrective measures have been implemented.
A letter dated January 20, 2025, obtained via RTI, starkly notes: "At present, no single stenographer is available since Jan 10, 2025. This commission is seriously handicapped to dispose of cases." Another communication from the officiating president on March 7, 2025, warned: "We are constrained to write the daily orders and judgments by hand only. The court work is being hampered due to absence of the stenographer."
Multiple Vacancies and Systemic Failures
The commission is grappling with numerous vacant positions, including private secretary, personal assistant, assistant registrar, stenographers, and junior assistants. It has informed the government that while the number of members doubled from two to four, there was no corresponding increase in support staff. Additionally, the SCDRC has recorded the absence of an accountant and ongoing salary delays for February 2025 onwards.
This manpower collapse has derailed statutory timelines mandated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which requires complaints to be listed within 21 days of filing. The commission admitted its inability to comply, stating: "Records are not being placed before the benches within 21 days, defeating the aim and objective of the Act."
Staggering Pendency and Public Outcry
The scale of case backlog is staggering. The RTI response revealed that original complaints have been pending since 2000, while first appeals date back to 2003 on the e-Jagriti portal. Social worker Alok Kar criticized the situation, saying: "This is pure failure of the govt. Consumers Courts should not stop functioning. As per rule, a case should be disposed in 60 days, but here it is taking decades."
Despite escalating the crisis to multiple authorities, including the chief secretary, the high court registrar-general, the National Commission, and the ministry of consumer affairs, the SCDRC reports that no corrective action has been taken. In one letter, the officiating president bluntly warned that consumers are suffering immensely due to administrative inaction.
Urgent Demands for Restoration
The commission has urgently sought the immediate posting of five stenographers, the filling of all vacant Class III and IV posts, and the utilization of the Consumer Welfare Fund to strengthen both manpower and infrastructure. Pending these actions, Odisha's apex consumer court continues to operate with handwritten orders, skeletal staff, and a disposal rate that starkly underscores a justice system in deep distress, leaving countless consumers awaiting resolution for years.
