Sections 5 and 6 of Consumer Protection Act 1986: Central Council Meetings and Objects

Sections 5 and 6 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 formed part of Chapter II dealing with Consumer Protection Councils. Section 5 prescribed the procedure for meetings of the Central Consumer Protection Council, while Section 6 stated the objects of the Central Council and identified the principal rights of consumers.

Current-law note: This article explains Sections 5 and 6 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 because those are the sections covered by this page and its existing URL. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has since been repealed by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Under the 2019 Act, the broadly corresponding provisions concerning the procedure for meetings and objects of the Central Council are Sections 4 and 5. The historical Section 5 and Section 6 text below should therefore be read as the provisions of the 1986 Act, not as the numbering of the current Act.
Contents

Section 5 of Consumer Protection Act 1986 - Procedure for Meetings of the Central Council

Section 5 dealt with the frequency, time, place and procedure of meetings of the Central Consumer Protection Council.

Section 5(1) - Frequency of meetings

The Central Council was required to meet whenever necessary, subject to the statutory requirement that at least one meeting of the Council be held every year.

Section 5(2) - Time, place and transaction of business

The Central Council was to meet at the time and place considered appropriate by its Chairman and was required to follow the prescribed procedure for transaction of its business.

Thus, Section 5 did not require meetings to be held at fixed intervals beyond the minimum annual requirement. It left the timing and place of meetings to the Chairman, while the procedure for conducting business remained subject to the applicable prescribed rules.

Official text of the 1986 Act: Consumer Protection Act, 1986 - India Code

Section 6 of Consumer Protection Act 1986 - Objects of the Central Council

Section 6 stated that the objects of the Central Council were to promote and protect the rights of consumers. The provision then identified six important consumer rights.

Consumer Rights under Section 6

  • Protection from hazardous goods and services: the right to protection against marketing of goods and services hazardous to life and property.
  • Right to information: the right to information concerning quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services so that consumers may be protected against unfair trade practices.
  • Right to choice: the right, wherever possible, to access a variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
  • Right to be heard: the right to have consumer interests receive due consideration at appropriate forums.
  • Right to seek redressal: the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices, restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers.
  • Right to consumer education: the right to consumer education.

Purpose of Sections 5 and 6

Read together, Sections 5 and 6 addressed two different aspects of the Central Council. Section 5 dealt with its meeting procedure, while Section 6 described the consumer-protection objectives that the Council was intended to promote and protect.

The rights stated in Section 6 were also significant within the wider structure of the 1986 Act. Sections dealing with State and District Consumer Protection Councils referred back to the consumer rights set out in Section 6.

Current Position under Consumer Protection Act 2019

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is no longer the governing enactment. It was repealed and replaced by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

For current law, the Central Consumer Protection Council is dealt with in Chapter II of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Section 3 provides for the Central Council, Section 4 deals with its meetings, and Section 5 states its objects. Consumer rights are defined separately in Section 2(9) of the 2019 Act.

This page retains its focus on Sections 5 and 6 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 for historical, educational and reference purposes.

Current legislation: Consumer Protection Act, 2019 - India Code

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Section 5 of the Consumer Protection Act 1986 provide?

Section 5 prescribed the procedure for meetings of the Central Consumer Protection Council. It required at least one meeting every year and provided that meetings would take place at such time and place as the Chairman considered fit, following the prescribed procedure for conducting business.

What was the object of the Central Council under Section 6?

Section 6 provided that the objects of the Central Council were to promote and protect consumer rights, including rights relating to safety, information, choice, hearing, redressal and consumer education.

Are Sections 5 and 6 of the Consumer Protection Act 1986 still applicable as current law?

The 1986 Act has been repealed and replaced by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Sections 5 and 6 of the 1986 Act remain relevant for understanding the former law and matters governed by that statutory framework, but the current Central Council provisions must be read under the 2019 Act.

Last updated: 20 September 2026. This page provides general legal information. For a specific matter, refer to the applicable statutory text, rules, notifications and judicial decisions.