NEW DELHI: Realising that consumers are bearing the brunt of contradictory orders by different courts with regard to maximum retail price (MRP) of packaged items, particularly bottled water, the consumer affairs ministry has decided to approach the
Supreme Court to club all cases and refer them to one bench to settle the issue.
The ministry has also argued that single MRP norm should be followed in “larger public interest”and to “protect consumers”. Nearly a dozen cases are pending before different high courts including Bombay, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and
Kerala besides one before the Supreme Court.
The ministry has sent its proposal to the law ministry suggesting that all the clubbed cases should be heard by a
SC bench so that a final order can be passed, which will be binding on all. Though the consumer affairs ministry has made it mandatory for all manufacturers and sellers of packaged items to follow one MRP norm from January 1, judgments by different courts have caused confusion.
“Initially there was a thought to challenge the decision in a larger bench. But then we thought we can’t keep on appearing before different courts across the country on same issue and the proposal to approach the Supreme Court for clubbing all cases for hearing has been finalised,” said an officialCentre to move SC for clubbing all
MRP cases
