The consumer movement is prevalent in India since the origin of trade and commerce. Several mentions have been found in the ancient texts regarding the concepts of consumer protection against exploitation by the trade and industry, short weighment and measures, adulteration and punishment for these offences. Before 1947, the principal laws which safeguarded the consumer interests were the Indian Penal Code, Agricultural Production, Grading and Marketing Act, 1937, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Despite the existence of these laws, the level of awareness regarding consumer rights was very low. Accepting the fact that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure consumer welfare, the Indian Legislature has introduced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and framed several policies. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs was created in the Central and State Governments to focus on ensuring protection of rights of consumers as enshrined in the Act. In the International sphere the Indian Consumer Protection Act has been described as one "which has set in motion a revolution in the fields of consumer rights, the parallel of which has not been seen anywhere else in the world." The Act provides speedy and inexpensive remedies to the grievance of the consumer and provides relief of a specific nature and award compensation in the appropriate case. Besides the Consumer Protection Act, a Consumer can also seek redressal if he is aggrieved by the defect or deficiency under some special enactments namely, Specific Relief Act, 1963, Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Right to Information Act, 2005 etc.
