Every complaint(( Section 2(6), Consumer Protection Act, 2019.)) filed under the consumer protection law must be accompanied with a nominal fee that is payable in the form of a demand draft of a nationalized bank or through a postal order(( Rule 7(1), Consumer Protection (Consumer Complaint Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020)), or in electronic form(( Section 35(2), Consumer Protection Act, 2019)). The fee structure based on the value of goods or services is given below(( Section 35(2), Consumer Protection Act, 2019)):
Fee payable to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission:
Value of Good or Service | Fee |
Below Rs. 5 lakhs | No fee |
Rs. 5 lakhs – 10 Rs lakhs | Rs. 200 |
Rs. 10 lakhs – Rs. 20 lakhs | Rs.400 |
Rs. 20 lakhs – Rs. 50 lakhs | Rs. 1000 |
Rs. 50 lakhs – Rs. 1 crore | Rs. 2000 |
Fee payable to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission:
Value of Good or Service | Fee |
Rs. 1 crores – Rs. 2 crores | Rs. 2500 |
Rs. 2 crores – Rs. 4 crores | Rs. 3000 |
Rs. 4 crores – Rs. 6 crores | Rs.4000 |
Rs. 6 crores – Rs 8 crores | Rs. 5000 |
Rs. 8 crores – Rs. 10 crores | Rs. 6000 |
Fee payable to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission:
Value of Good or Service | Fee |
Above Rs. 10 crores | Rs. 7500 |
An important thing to note is that the fees so collected goes to the Consumer Welfare Fund, at the State level or the National level, as the case may be. Where such Fund does not exist, it is directed to the State Government(( Rule 7(2), Consumer Protection (Consumer Complaint Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020)). The fee is utilized towards the continuation of consumer welfare projects.