Mumbai: The Department of Consumer Affairs expects to fill vacancies at state and district consumer commissions soon with a list of candidates ready for government approval by the end of the month, an official said on Wednesday.
The department is “hopeful” that the results of written exams will be out by this weekend, and by mid-August it will be able to “interview” the candidates (viva voce), the official said.
“The exam process will be complete by the end of the month, after which names will be put before the government for appointment. The matter goes up to the CM level for appointments to be finalised. We have also planned for any vacancies that will arise till March 2024,” the secretary of the department, Vijay Waghmare, said.
Total 112 vacancies
Currently there are 102 vacancies at district commissions and 10 at the state commission. At the district level there are 36 vacancies for the post of president. In Mumbai all four district commissions do not have presidents. A commission requires a quorum to function. If a president is not present, additional charge is given to the senior-most member. In the absence of a president, that cannot happen.
In Maharashtra a total of 15 commissions had come to a grinding halt as the post of president was vacant. The issue of vacancy arose after the rules to appoint members were challenged. The earlier rules stated that members would require 15 years of experience to qualify. The SC while deciding on the rules reduced it from 15 to 10 years and made it uniform for president and members.
It stated that anyone with more than 10 years of special knowledge and professional experience can become the president or member after passing both written (descriptive and objective) exams and the interview.
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