How do I file a consumer complaint in India?

1Start with a written complaint

Before going to a consumer commission, send the seller or service provider a clear written complaint (email or letter), stating the problem, what you want (refund, replacement, repair, compensation), and a reasonable deadline. Keep a copy.

Often this resolves it — and even if it doesn't, it becomes useful evidence that you tried.

2Which forum to approach

You file at the level that matches the value of your claim (the goods/services paid for plus compensation):

• District Commission: claims up to ₹50 lakh
• State Commission: claims from ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore
• National Commission: claims above ₹2 crore

3How to file (online via e-Daakhil)

Filing is now mostly online and self-service:

1. Register on the e-Daakhil portal (edaakhil.nic.in).
2. Draft your complaint with the facts, your demand and the relief sought.
3. Attach evidence — bills, invoices, warranty, emails, photos, and your earlier written complaint.
4. Pay the prescribed (small) fee and submit; you'll get a case number to track it.

4Time limit and what you can claim

Two practical points:

• File within 2 years of the cause of action (when the problem arose); delays beyond that need a good reason
• You can claim a refund, replacement or repair, plus compensation for loss, harassment and litigation costs

5Which forum: it turns on what you paid, not what you claim

This changed with the 2019 Act and it is the single most common filing error.

Jurisdiction is now determined by the value of the goods or services paid as consideration — not by the compensation you are claiming. Under the old Act the claim amount decided the forum, so a small purchase with a large damages claim went to a higher commission. That is no longer the position.

• District Commission: consideration paid up to ₹50 lakh
• State Commission: above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore
• National Commission: above ₹2 crore

6You can file where you live

The 2019 Act widened territorial jurisdiction significantly, and it is a genuine practical benefit that many complainants do not use.

A complaint may be filed where the opposite party carries on business or has a branch office, where the cause of action arose wholly or partly — or where the complainant resides or personally works for gain.

That last limb means you are no longer obliged to travel to the seller's city. An online purchase from a company headquartered elsewhere can be pursued in your own district.

7Who counts as a consumer, and the commercial-purpose bar

A person who buys goods or hires services for a commercial purpose is not a consumer, and the complaint fails at the threshold rather than on the merits.

The exception is important: where the goods or services were bought exclusively for the purpose of earning a livelihood by means of self-employment, the buyer remains a consumer. A taxi bought and driven by the owner is covered; a fleet operated with drivers generally is not.

Services availed under a contract of personal service are also excluded, as is a person who obtains goods for resale.

8Appeals, and the deposit that comes with them

An appeal from the District Commission lies to the State Commission within 45 days of the order, from the State Commission to the National Commission, and from the National Commission to the Supreme Court.

An appellant who has been ordered to pay must deposit 50% of that amount before the appeal is entertained. This is a substantial filter and it is worth factoring in before treating an adverse order as merely the first round.

Execution of an order is a separate proceeding, and the Commissions have powers to enforce, including attachment and, in default, detention.

9Mediation, and product liability

The 2019 Act added two things worth knowing before you file.

A Commission may refer a dispute to mediation at any stage where there is scope for settlement and both parties agree. A settlement recorded there is binding and disposes of the matter, which for a straightforward refund or replacement is often faster than a contested hearing.

The Act also introduced product liability, allowing a claim against the manufacturer, the seller or the service provider for harm caused by a defective product — including personal injury and consequential loss, not merely the price paid. That is a wider remedy than the old deficiency-in-service route and is frequently overlooked.