Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)

Why in news?

• CCPA passed orders against the five e-commerce players for violation of consumer rights and unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

About CCPA:

• It is a regulatory body established in 2020 based on the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
• Composition
  • It will have a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
  • The CCPA will have an Investigation Wing that will be headed by a Director General.
  • District Collectors too, will have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements.
• Objective: To promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.
• It will be empowered-
  • To conduct investigations into violation of consumer rights and institute complaints / prosecution,
  • Order recall of unsafe goods and services,
  • Order discontinuation of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements,
  • Impose penalties on manufacturers/ endorsers/ publishers of misleading advertisements.