Kathmandu: Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut has inaugurated the Consumer Court today. The Court has been established in line with Clause 44 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2075.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the inauguration took place during a program organized on the occasion of International Consumer Rights Day, 2025. Chief Justice Raut emphasized that the Constitution enshrines consumer rights as fundamental rights, guaranteeing judicial redress for consumers in relation to quality goods and services.
Chief Justice Raut highlighted the necessity to further clarify the jurisdiction of the consumer court due to its extensive scope. He stressed the importance of the court gaining consumer trust by delivering effective justice. “The court has a responsibility to win the trust of consumers and establish itself. Therefore, the court needs to show judicial activism and carry out result-oriented works,” he reiterated.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, stated that the consumer court’s establishment aims to promote a clean and competitive market and ensure consumer rights. He mentioned that the government is actively monitoring consumer welfare in collaboration with provincial and local levels, particularly during festivals, and expressed confidence in the court’s role in protecting consumer rights.
Minister Bhandari also noted that establishing consumer courts is a government priority, pledging to streamline the consumer court’s judicial process. He revealed plans to introduce necessary policies and programs to address potential challenges in the court’s implementation.
Attorney General Ramesh Badal described the consumer court’s establishment as a significant step towards judicial reform. He emphasized the need for clarity on the types of cases the court would handle, including those related to products with altered production dates and digital consumer rights, urging public awareness of these issues. Badal confirmed that government lawyers from the special court will represent the government in the consumer court.
Abdul Khan, President of the House of Representatives’ Industry, Commerce, Labour, and Consumer Welfare Committee, mentioned that the consumer court’s establishment marks the implementation phase of consumer rights. He stated that the Committee has directed the government to adopt more responsibility in protecting these rights and stressed the need for a concrete policy for the effective implementation of the newly formed court. Khan also indicated that the government has been instructed to set up quality testing laboratories at all border points.
The Consumer Court has jurisdiction over consumer-related cases within the Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur districts. Kathmandu District Court Judge Ram Prasad Sharma has been appointed as the chairperson of the consumer court, with Gehendra Raj Regmi and Ananda Raj Pokharel, both Gazetted Second-class Officers, serving as members.