24th December is observed as National Consumer Day (National Consumer Rights Day) in India with an aim to make the consumers aware about their rights and responsibilities. It was on 24 December that the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the president. 
There are various provisions in the Indian legal system for the protection to the consumers and to take stringent action against adulterated and sub-standard articles. Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, the Indian Contract Act, 1872, the Sale of Goods Act, 1930, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, etc. provide for the legal protection but they offer very little to safeguard the rights of the consumers. The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 arid the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 provide some relief to the consumers. The Consumer Protection Bill, 1986 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 5th December, 1986 to safeguard the consumers
The Act mandates the establishment of Consumer Protection Councils at the Centre as well as in each State and District, with a view to promoting consumer awareness.
Who is a Consumer?
A consumer is a person or a group who intends to order, orders, or uses purchased goods, products, or services primarily for personal, social, family, household and similar needs, not directly related to entrepreneurial or business activities.(Wikipedia)
Consumer Protection Act guarantees six basic rights to consumers:
- right to choose the product;
- right to be protected from all kinds of hazardous goods;
- right to be informed about the performance and quality of all products;
- right to be heard in all decision-making processes related to consumer interests;
- right to seek redressal, whenever consumer rights have been infringed;
- right to complete consumer education.
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