The Resolver Guide to Regulators and Consumer Rights Bodies

As we’ve covered, under the Consumer Protection Act, for any Indian consumer you have a range of essential rights. These include the right to be heard, the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to seek redressal and the right to consumer education. 

To ensure that these are abided by and implementable, India also has a strong consumer protection framework made up of government regulators, statutory authorities, consumer courts, and self-regulatory bodies.

Indian consumers today are better protected than ever but only if they know where to complain. 

Identifying the correct regulator or forum can make the difference between a quick refund and months of frustration.

We’ve created this guide for those who need to advocate for their rights – saving you time and helping you get faster resolution.

Core Consumer Protection Authorities

There are three main ‘umbrella’ consumer protection bodies that represent the backbone of India’s consumer protection framework. 

Together, they provide a continuum of support ranging from first-level complaint resolution and policy oversight to regulatory enforcement and legal protection of consumer rights.

National Consumer Helpline (NCH) – 1915

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) serves as the primary and most accessible point of contact for consumers who are facing problems with goods or services. 

Operating through the toll-free number 1915 as well as the NCH website and the UMANG app, it allows consumers to register complaints across a wide range of sectors, including banking, telecom, e-commerce, travel, insurance, and utilities. 

The helpline does not function as a court or enforcement authority. Rather, it helps facilitate early-stage resolution by forwarding complaints to the concerned companies or escalating complaints to regulators. 

Its main objective is to help consumers resolve disputes quickly and amicably, making it particularly useful for those seeking a fast solution without immediately resorting to formal legal proceedings.

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is a statutory body established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with a stronger enforcement and regulatory mandate. 

Its primary role is to protect consumers from unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, whether in print, digital media, or through influencer and celebrity endorsements. 

The CCPA has the power to investigate violations, order the discontinuation of misleading advertisements, impose penalties, and direct product recalls or refunds where necessary. 

Consumers can approach the CCPA in cases involving fake or exaggerated ads, unsafe or defective products, and deceptive marketing practices, particularly where the issue affects a large number of consumers or raises serious public interest concerns.

Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA)

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) functions as the nodal government department responsible for shaping and implementing consumer policy in India. It oversees the administration of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and supervises key consumer protection institutions, including the CCPA, consumer dispute redressal commissions, and the Legal Metrology framework. 

To be clear, consumers do not typically approach the Department for help or redressal with their individual grievance. But its role is crucial in ensuring that the overall consumer protection ecosystem functions effectively. 

For everyday consumers, the DoCA matters in the broader context of safeguarding consumer rights, regulating unfair trade practices, addressing misleading advertisements, and ensuring transparency in pricing and market conduct.

Sector-Specific Regulators 

Most important for consumers caught up in disputes are the sector-specific regulators: authorities responsible for overseeing and enforcing consumer protection within particular industries such as banking, securities, insurance, telecom, food, and healthcare. 

They play a crucial role in addressing technical, industry-specific grievances and ensuring that service providers comply with regulatory standards designed to protect consumers and the public at large.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the primary regulator for the banking and financial services sector, with oversight over banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), digital payment systems, and credit card issuers. Its role is to ensure fairness, transparency, and stability in the delivery of banking services to consumers. 

Consumers may approach the RBI in cases involving unauthorised transactions, harassment by lenders or recovery agents, and deficiencies in banking services such as delays, wrongful charges, or failure to follow regulatory guidelines. 

However, the RBI functions as an appellate or supervisory authority rather than a first responder, and consumers are required to first raise their complaint with the concerned bank or financial institution before escalating the matter through the RBI’s grievance redressal framework.

In a nutshell

Covers: Banks, NBFCs, digital payments, credit cards

Approach RBI for:

• Unauthorized transactions
• Loan harassment
• Banking service failures

Tip: Always complain to the bank first before RBI.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulates India’s capital markets, including stock exchanges, brokers, mutual funds, and other market intermediaries. Its remit is to protect investors from fraud, unfair practices, and systemic risks in securities markets. SEBI provides a grievance redressal mechanism for investors facing issues such as broker misconduct, mis-selling of investment products, irregularities in IPOs, or trading-related disputes. 

By enforcing disclosure norms and conduct regulations, SEBI plays a critical role in maintaining investor confidence and ensuring that market participants act in a transparent and accountable manner.

In a nutshell

Covers: Stock markets, mutual funds, brokers

Helps with:

• Fraud by brokers
• Mis-selling of investments
• IPO or trading complaints

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) oversees the insurance sector, covering life, health, motor, and general insurance products. Its mandate is to safeguard policyholders’ interests by regulating insurers and intermediaries and setting standards for fair conduct.

Consumers can approach IRDAI in situations involving unjustified claim rejections, mis-selling of policies, non-disclosure of key terms, or undue delays in claim settlement. While IRDAI does not directly adjudicate claims, it ensures that insurers follow grievance redressal procedures and comply with regulatory norms designed to protect policyholders.

In a nutshell

Covers: Life, health, vehicle, and general insurance

Handles:

• Claim rejection disputes
• Policy mis-selling
• Delays in settlement

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is responsible for regulating telecom and broadcasting services, including mobile networks, broadband services, and DTH platforms. Its role is to ensure quality of service, fair pricing, and transparency for telecom consumers.

TRAI addresses systemic issues such as call drops, incorrect billing, service quality failures, and problems related to mobile number portability. Individual complaints are typically routed through service providers and designated grievance mechanisms, but TRAI’s regulations form the basis for consumer protection and enforcement action in the telecom sector.

In a nutshell

Covers: Mobile, broadband, DTH

Issues include:

• Call drops
• Wrong billing
• Mobile number portability issues

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates food safety, hygiene, and standards across the food supply chain, from manufacturing and packaging to restaurants and street vendors. Its remit includes protecting consumers from adulterated, expired, or unsafe food products and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.

Consumers can report violations such as contaminated food, misleading labels, or unhygienic food establishments, enabling enforcement authorities to investigate and take corrective action in the interest of public health.

In a nutshell

Covers: Food safety and hygiene

You can report:

• Adulterated food
• Expired products
• Unsafe restaurants or packaged food

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body responsible for setting and enforcing quality and safety benchmarks for a wide range of products. It plays a key role in consumer protection by certifying products through standards such as the ISI mark and overseeing hallmarking for gold and jewellery.

BIS is an important place of recourse to consumers when products such as electrical appliances, construction materials, or jewellery fail to meet prescribed standards, helping ensure safety, reliability, and accuracy in product quality claims.

In a nutshell

Covers: Product quality and safety standards

Relevant for:

• Electrical appliances
• Gold & jewellery hallmarking
• ISI-marked products

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) functions as India’s national regulatory authority for drugs, vaccines, and medical devices. Its remit includes approving new drugs, monitoring safety, and taking action against substandard or unsafe medical products.

Consumers and healthcare stakeholders may approach CDSCO in cases involving defective medicines, unsafe medical devices, or violations of drug safety regulations, particularly where such issues pose serious risks to public health.

In a nutshell

Covers: Drugs, medical devices, vaccines

Approach for:

• Substandard medicines
• Unsafe medical devices

Legal Metrology Department

The Legal Metrology Department  is responsible for enforcing laws related to weights, measures, and packaging declarations to ensure fairness in trade. Its role is to protect consumers from being short-changed through under-weight products, incorrect quantity declarations, or violations of maximum retail price (MRP) rules. 

This authority is especially relevant in everyday consumer transactions, where accurate measurement and transparent pricing are essential to maintaining trust and preventing unfair trade practices.

In a nutshell

Covers: Weights, measures, and packaging

Complaints include:

• Under-weight products
• MRP violations
• Incorrect quantity labeling

Consumer Courts 

National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions

The National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions are quasi-judicial bodies established under the Consumer Protection Act to provide consumers with an accessible and specialised forum for resolving disputes. They function at three hierarchical levels based on the monetary value of the claim: 

This tiered structure ensures that consumer disputes are addressed efficiently and at an appropriate level of authority.

These commissions adjudicate a wide range of consumer disputes, including cases involving defective or unsafe products, deficiency in services, medical negligence, and disputes arising from e-commerce transactions. They have the power to award compensation, order replacements or refunds, and issue directions to service providers or sellers. 

Consumers can file complaints conveniently through the e-Daakhil portal, an online filing system designed to simplify access to consumer justice and reduce the need for physical appearances, making the redressal process more transparent and consumer-friendly.

In a nutshell

Handles:

• Defective products
• Deficiency in services
• Medical negligence
• E-commerce disputes

How to file:

Through the e-Daakhil portal 

Advertising and Self-Regulatory Bodies

Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a self-regulatory body established to promote responsible advertising and protect consumers from misleading or unethical marketing practices. It examines complaints relating to false or exaggerated claims, deceptive advertising, and improper influencer or celebrity endorsements across print, broadcast, and digital media.

While ASCI is not a court and does not impose legal penalties, its decisions carry significant persuasive authority within the advertising industry. In most cases, advertisers comply with ASCI’s rulings and promptly modify or withdraw offending advertisements, making it an effective and swift mechanism for addressing misleading ads without resorting to formal litigation.

In a nutshell

Type: Self-regulatory body

Deals with:

• Misleading advertisements
• False claims
• Influencer and celebrity endorsements

Note: ASCI decisions are not courts, but ads are usually withdrawn quickly.

Consumer Rights NGOs and Organisations

Consumer Rights NGOs and Organisations play an important supportive role in strengthening consumer protection by empowering individuals through awareness, advocacy, and assistance. Their activities commonly include consumer education campaigns, providing legal guidance or assistance in filing complaints, and publishing independent product testing and comparative reports that enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

These non-governmental organisations work independently of the government and often act as intermediaries between consumers, regulators, and businesses.They can help consumers understand their rights, assess unfair trade practices, and pursue remedies where needed. 

Some well-known consumer organisations:

• Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI)

• CUTS International

• Consumer VOICE

• Mumbai Grahak Panchayat

Practical Tip: So who should you approach first?

When trying to get a resolution for an issue, there is a clear plan of action any consumer should take.

1. Company’s customer care

Consumers with a dispute or grievance should generally begin by raising the issue directly with the company’s customer care, as many issues can be resolved at this stage.

2. National Consumer Helpline (1915)

If the response from the company is unsatisfactory or delayed, the next step is to approach the National Consumer Helpline (1915), which can facilitate escalation and resolution by coordinating with the company or the relevant authority.

3. Sector regulator (RBI, IRDAI, TRAI, etc.)

Where the complaint involves sector-specific issues such as banking, insurance, telecom, or securities, you should escalate the matter to the appropriate sector regulator such as the RBI, IRDAI, or TRAI after exhausting the service provider’s grievance process.

4. Consumer Court (e-Daakhil)

Finally, if the issue still remains unresolved, or if compensation and formal adjudication are required, consumers can approach the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission through the e-Daakhil portal, which provides a structured legal forum for enforcing consumer rights.