CHAPTER VIII: MISCELLANEOUS

(1) The State Governments may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act:

Provided that the Central Government may, frame model rules in respect of all or any of the matters with respect to which the State Government may make rules under this section, and where any such model rules have been framed in respect of any such matter, they shall apply to the State until the rules in respect of that matter is made by the State Government and while making any such rules, so far as is practicable, they shall conform to such model rules.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—

(a) the other class or classes of persons including public utility entities under clause (19) of section 2;

(b) the contest, lottery, game of chance or skill which are to be exempted under item (b) of sub-clause (iii) of clause (47) of section 2;

(c) the number of other official or non-official members of the State Council under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 6;

(d) the time and place of meeting of the State Council and the procedure for the transaction of its business under sub-section (4) of section 6;

(e) the number of other official and non-official members of District Council under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 8;

(f) the time and place of meeting of the District Council and procedure for the transaction of its business under sub-section (4) of section 8;

(g) the number of members of the District Commission under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 28;

(h) the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the President and members of the District Commission under section 30;

(i) the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the officers and other employees of the District Commission under sub-section (3) of section 33;

(j) the manner of authentication of goods sampled by the State Commission and the District Commission under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 38;

(k) the manner of depositing fifty per cent. of the amount before filing appeal under second proviso to section 41;

(l) the number of members of the State Commission under sub-section (3) of section 42;

(m) the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the President and members of the State Commission under section 44;

(n) the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the officers and other employees of the State Commission under sub-section (3) of section 46;

(o) the form in which the State Commission shall furnish information to the State Government under sub-section (5) of section 70;

(p) the persons in the consumer mediation cell under sub-section (3) of section 74;

(q) any other matter which is to be, or may be prescribed, or in respect of which provisions are to be, or may be, made by rules.

(1) The Central Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out any of the provisions contained in this Act.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for, —

(a) the other class or classes of persons including public utility entities under clause (19) of section 2;

(b) the contest, lottery, game of chance or skill which are to be exempted under item (b) of sub-clause (iii) of clause (47) of section 2;

(c) the manner of issuing bill or cash memo or receipt for goods sold or services rendered under sub-clause (vii) of clause (47) of section 2;

(d) the number of other official or non-official members of the Central Council under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 3;

(e) the time and place of meeting of Central Council and the procedure for the transaction of its business under sub-section (2) of section 4;

(f) the number of Commissioners in the Central Authority under sub-section (2) of section 10;

(g) the qualifications for appointment, method of recruitment, procedure of appointment, term of office, salaries and allowances, resignation, removal and other terms and conditions of service of the Chief Commissioner and other Commissioners
of the Central Authority under section 11;

(h) the salaries and allowances payable to, and the other terms and conditions of service of, the officers and other employees of the Central Authority under sub-section (2) of section 13;

(i) the qualifications for appointment of Director General, Additional Director General, Director, Joint Director, Deputy Director and Assistant Director and the manner of appointment under sub-section (2) of section 15;

(j) the manner of taking copies or extracts of document, record or article seized or produced before returning to the person under sub-section (3) of section 22;

(k) the officer and the manner of disposing of articles which are subject to speedy or natural decay under sub-section (4) of section 22;

(l) the form and manner for preparing annual statement of accounts by the Central Authority in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India under sub-section (1) of section 26;

(m) the form in which, and the time within which, an annual report, other reports and returns may be prepared by the Central Authority under sub-section (1) of section 27;

(n) the qualifications for appointment, method of recruitment, procedure for appointment, term of office, resignation and removal of President and members of the District Commission under section 29;

(o) the other value of goods and services in respect of which the District Commission shall have jurisdiction to entertain complaints under proviso to sub-section (1) of section 34;

(p) the manner of electronically filing complaint under the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 35;

(q) the fee, electronic form and the manner of payment of fee for filing complaint under sub-section (2) of section 35;

(r) the cases which may not be referred for settlement by mediation under sub-section (1) of section 37;

(s) the manner of authentication of goods sampled in case of the National Commission under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 38;

(t) any other matter which may be prescribed under clause (f) of sub-section (9) of section 38;

(u) the fund where the amount obtained may be credited and the manner of utilisation of such amount under sub-section (2) of section 39;

(v) the form and the manner in which appeal may be preferred to the State Commission under section 41;

(w) the qualifications for appointment, method of recruitment, procedure for appointment, term of office, resignation and removal of the President and members of the State Commission under section 43;

(x) the other value of goods and services in respect of which the State Commission shall have jurisdiction under the proviso to sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 47;

(y) the form and manner of filing appeal to the National Commission, and the manner of depositing fifty per cent. of the amount before filing appeal, under sub-section (1) of section 51;

(z) the number of members of the National Commission under clause (b) of section 54;

(za) the qualifications, appointment, term of office, salaries and allowances, resignation, removal and other terms and conditions of service of the President and members of the National Commission under sub-section (1) of section 55;

(zb) the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the officers and other employees of the National Commission under sub-section (3) of section 57;

(zc) the other value of goods and services in respect of which the National Commission shall have jurisdiction under the proviso to sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 58;

(zd) the manner of depositing fifty per cent. of the amount under the second proviso to section 67;

(ze) the form in which the National Commission and the State Commission shall furnish information to the Central Government under sub-section (4) of section 70;

(zf) the persons in the consumer mediation cell under sub-section (3) of section 74;

(zg) the measures to be taken by the Central Government to prevent unfair trade practices in e-commerce, direct selling under section 94;

(zh) the amount for compounding offences under sub-section (1) of section 96;

(zi) the fund to which the penalty and amount collected shall be credited under section 97; and

(zj) any other matter which is to be, or may be, prescribed, or in respect of which provisions are to be, or may be, made by rules.

The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force.

(1) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this Act, the Central Authority, shall, in exercise of its powers or the performance of its functions under this Act, be bound by such directions on questions of policy, as the Central Government may give in writing to it from time to time:

Provided that the Central Authority shall, as far as practicable, be given an opportunity to express its views before any direction is given under this sub-section.

(2) The decision of the Central Government whether a question is one of policy or not shall be final.

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Presidents and members of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission, the Chief Commissioner, the Commissioner, any officer or employee and other person performing any duty under this Act, for any act which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or under any rule or order made thereunder.