Bengaluru: Of the 31 district consumer courts in Karnataka, 20 are headless, the reasons for which could anything from official apathy or unavaialablity of candidates due to the low pay.

Two such courts are in Bengaluru. Another two positions of chairpersons will fall vacant by August. While Koppal district forum chairman will complete his term this Tuesday, the one in Chitradurga will leave office on August 13.

Every consumer court must have three members, of which one has to be a woman. The number of women members that need to be appointed stands at 14. Another two posts will be vacant by September.
There are nearly 10,000 cases pending before consumer courts, and the vacant posts are causing heartburn among consumers.  Activists had taken the matter to the Karnataka high court, which in February ordered that vacant posts be filled up in four months.

The division bench also passed a direction saying consumer forums be set up in Chikkaballapur, Ramanagaram and Yadgir districts. Sources in the government said one of the reasons why it is difficult to find chairpersons is because the honorarium paid to members of these fora in Karnataka is lower than the figure in other states. In Kerala, they’re paid at least Rs 50,000 more.

Soures say that in 10-15 days, the official notification on appointments will be out, but there is no official intimation to this effect as yet.