Consumer Protection Act Co-Exists With Other Statutes: NCDRC

In Govind Narain Gupta Vs. Sudhakar Nath, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, presided by Mr. Subhash Chandra and Dr. Sadhna Shanker, upheld that the Consumer Protection Act provides complementary remedies alongside other laws. \r

The case involved a Builder's Buyer Agreement where the respondent was to construct a residential complex on the appellant's plot. After the appellant's civil suit was dismissed due to an arbitration clause, a consumer complaint was filed but dismissed by the State Commission, citing a pending suit. \r

The National Commission found this dismissal erroneous, emphasizing that the Consumer Protection Act's provisions are supplementary, referencing the Supreme Court's decision in M/s Imperia Structures Ltd. The appeal was allowed, overturning the State Commission's order.