Short answer: which consumer commission hears your case is decided by money, and where you can file it is decided by geography — and since the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 the geography rule includes the place where you live or work. Claims up to ₹50 lakh go to the District Commission, above that and up to ₹2 crore to the State Commission, and above ₹2 crore to the National Commission. Getting either of these wrong is the most common reason a filing is returned.
General consumer information, not legal advice. Pecuniary limits were revised by notification in 2021; the figures below are the ones in force.
Pecuniary jurisdiction: which commission, by value
“Pecuniary jurisdiction” is simply the money ceiling of each forum. Under the 2019 Act as revised, the value that counts is the value of the goods or services paid as consideration. That is a meaningful change from the old law, which counted consideration plus the compensation claimed, and which let people inflate a claim to reach a higher forum.
| Value of the goods or services paid | Forum | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹50,00,000 | District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | Your district |
| Above ₹50,00,000 and up to ₹2,00,00,000 | State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | Your state capital, usually |
| Above ₹2,00,00,000 | National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | New Delhi |
For an ordinary online purchase this table has exactly one row that matters. A ₹40,000 phone, a ₹9,000 flight, a ₹2,400 subscription — all District Commission, all in your own district.
Territorial jurisdiction: where you may file
Section 34(2) of the Act lets a complaint be instituted in a District Commission within whose local limits any of the following applies:
- The opposite party (or one of several opposite parties) ordinarily resides, carries on business, has a branch office, or personally works for gain.
- The cause of action, wholly or in part, arose.
- The complainant resides or personally works for gain.
That third limb is new to the 2019 Act and it is the one online shoppers should know by heart. Under the old 1986 law you generally had to chase the company to its own turf. Today, if a Bengaluru marketplace refuses your refund and you live in Patna, you file in Patna. The company travels to you, or more often, appears by video conference.
Note the words “personally works for gain”. If you live in one district and work in another, either will do. Choose the one whose commission is easier for you to reach on a hearing date.
What it costs
Fees are set to be nominal. The point of the forum is access, not revenue.
| Value of goods or services + compensation claimed | Forum | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹5 lakh | District | Nil |
| Above ₹5 lakh up to ₹10 lakh | District | ₹200 |
| Above ₹10 lakh up to ₹20 lakh | District | ₹400 |
| Above ₹20 lakh up to ₹50 lakh | District | ₹1,000 |
| Above ₹50 lakh up to ₹1 crore | State | ₹2,000 |
| Above ₹1 crore up to ₹2 crore | State | ₹4,000 |
| Above ₹2 crore | National | ₹5,000 |
Fees are paid through the e-Daakhil payment gateway when you file online. There is no separate “processing charge”, no annual membership, and nobody from a commission will ever phone you to collect one.
The total cost of actually running a case
The filing fee is the smallest line. Budget realistically:
| Item | Typical range | Avoidable? |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | ₹0 – ₹1,000 for most consumer claims | No, but usually nil |
| Notarised affidavit | ₹50 – ₹300 | No |
| Printing, scanning, courier of hard copies if the registry asks | ₹200 – ₹800 | Partly |
| Legal notice sent by registered post AD before filing | ₹50 – ₹150 per addressee | Yes, it is optional |
| Advocate, if you engage one | Varies widely; the largest item by far | Yes — you may appear in person |
| Your own time on hearing dates | The real cost | Reduced by video hearings |
For a ₹7,000 refund fought in person, the out-of-pocket cost is realistically under a thousand rupees. That asymmetry — trivial for you, expensive for them — is the whole leverage of the consumer forum, and it is why a properly served notice so often produces a settlement.
Can you recover your costs?
Yes, and you should ask. A consumer commission may order the opposite party to pay the value of the goods or services, compensation for loss or injury including mental agony in appropriate cases, and costs of the proceedings. It can also order removal of the defect, replacement, discontinuation of an unfair practice, and in appropriate cases punitive damages. Put a specific figure against each head in your prayer clause; a commission rarely awards a head you did not ask for.
Appeals, and what they cost
If you lose, or if the company loses and appeals, the ladder is District → State → National → Supreme Court.
| Appeal | Time limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| District order → State Commission | 45 days from the date of the order | Delay may be condoned for sufficient cause |
| State order (original jurisdiction) → National Commission | 30 days | Only against orders passed in original jurisdiction |
| National Commission (original) → Supreme Court | 30 days |
One rule with real financial consequence: when the party appealing is the one who was ordered to pay, the Act requires a pre-deposit of fifty per cent of the awarded amount before the appeal is entertained. That is a deliberate brake on companies appealing simply to exhaust a consumer, and it is worth knowing when a company threatens to “take it further”.
Common jurisdiction mistakes
- Adding compensation to reach a higher forum. Pecuniary jurisdiction is decided on the consideration paid. Inflating the claim does not move the case up; it just looks unserious.
- Filing where the warehouse is. A fulfilment centre is not the registered office and often is not a branch office either. Use the registered office from MCA data, or simply file where you live.
- Naming only the brand. “ShopFast” may be a trade name for a private limited company with a completely different legal name. Notice to a trade name goes nowhere.
- Assuming a commercial purchase is covered. Goods bought for resale or for a commercial purpose fall outside the definition of consumer, subject to the exception for those bought exclusively for earning a livelihood by self-employment.
- Filing in the wrong state because the app’s terms say so. A clause in terms of service that picks an exclusive court cannot displace the statutory jurisdiction the Act gives you as a consumer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pecuniary jurisdiction of consumer courts in India?
District Commission up to ₹50 lakh, State Commission above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore, National Commission above ₹2 crore. The figure counted is the value of the goods or services paid as consideration, not the compensation claimed.
How much does it cost to file a consumer complaint in India?
Nothing for claims up to ₹5 lakh. Above that, ₹200 up to ₹10 lakh, ₹400 up to ₹20 lakh and ₹1,000 up to ₹50 lakh at the District Commission; ₹2,000 and ₹4,000 at the State Commission; ₹5,000 at the National Commission. Add a small amount for a notarised affidavit and printing.
Can I file a consumer complaint where I live instead of where the company is?
Yes. Section 34(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 allows filing in the district where the complainant resides or personally works for gain, as well as where the opposite party is or where the cause of action arose. This was one of the main consumer-facing changes in the 2019 Act.
Can a company's terms and conditions force me to sue in another city?
An exclusive-jurisdiction clause in a contract of adhesion does not take away the jurisdiction that the Consumer Protection Act specifically confers on a consumer. Where a term is so one-sided that it significantly alters your rights, it may also be examined as an unfair contract term under the Act.
Do I have to deposit money to appeal a consumer court order?
If you are the party who has been ordered to pay, yes — fifty per cent of the amount ordered must be deposited before the appeal is entertained. A consumer appealing against a dismissal has no such requirement.
Can I claim compensation for mental harassment?
Yes, consumer commissions routinely award compensation for mental agony and harassment in addition to a refund, and may award costs of the proceedings. Ask for it explicitly, with a figure, and support it with the record of how long and how often you had to chase the company.
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