Last updated: 18 October 2026
Short answer: You can file a consumer complaint online on e-Jagriti (e-jagriti.gov.in), the Department of Consumer Affairs portal that replaced e-Daakhil from 1 January 2025. Register with OTP, choose “Consumer Complaint”, pick the right Commission based on the amount you paid (District Commission up to Rs 50 lakh), upload your signed complaint, affidavit and documents as PDFs, pay the fee (nil up to Rs 5 lakh) and note the filing number. You do not need a lawyer. File within two years of the cause of action.
Before you start: are you a “consumer”?
Under section 2(7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, you are a consumer if you bought goods or hired a service for a price (paid, promised or partly paid), including online purchases, teleshopping and direct selling. You are not a consumer if you bought for resale or for a commercial purpose, but buying something to earn your own livelihood by self-employment (a taxi, a sewing machine) is not treated as commercial purpose.
You can complain about a defect in goods, deficiency in service, unfair or restrictive trade practices, overcharging above the displayed or agreed price, hazardous goods, and product liability for harm caused by a defective product.
Two things are outside consumer law: free services, and services under a contract of personal service such as employment. The Supreme Court has also held that complaints against advocates for professional services are not maintainable under the Act (Bar of Indian Lawyers v. D.K. Gandhi PS National Institute of Communicable Diseases, 14 May 2024).
Step 0: try to settle first
- Write to the seller or service provider and keep the ticket number and replies.
- Use the National Consumer Helpline: call 1915 or 1800-11-4000, message on WhatsApp or SMS at 8800001915, or lodge a grievance at consumerhelpline.gov.in. Many companies settle at this stage.
- Send a short notice giving 15 days to fix the problem or refund. A notice is not compulsory for a consumer complaint, but it shows the Commission you were reasonable. See our legal notice guide for drafting tips.
Which Commission? Jurisdiction in one table
The forum depends on the value of the goods or services paid as consideration, not on the compensation you claim. These limits come from the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021.
| Amount you paid | Commission |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs 50 lakh | District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission |
| Above Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 2 crore | State Commission |
| Above Rs 2 crore | National Commission, New Delhi |
Which district? Under section 34(2) you can file where the opposite party resides or carries on business or has a branch, where the cause of action arose, or, most usefully, where you yourself reside or personally work for gain.
Fees
Fees are set by rule 7 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020, as amended in August 2023.
| Amount you paid | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs 5 lakh | Nil |
| Above Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh | Rs 200 |
| Above Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh | Rs 400 |
| Above Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh | Rs 1,000 |
| Above Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore | Rs 2,000 |
| Above Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore | Rs 2,500 |
| Above Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore | Rs 3,000 |
| Above Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore | Rs 4,000 |
| Above Rs 6 crore to Rs 8 crore | Rs 5,000 |
| Above Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore | Rs 6,000 |
| Above Rs 10 crore | Rs 7,500 |
Documents to prepare before you log in
Scan each document clearly as a PDF and give each file a plain name (for example “Annexure C-1 Invoice”).
- Complaint, signed on every page, with numbered paragraphs: parties, facts in date order, how the facts amount to defect, deficiency or unfair trade practice, jurisdiction (pecuniary and territorial), limitation, fee, and the reliefs claimed with amounts.
- Supporting affidavit, attested by a notary or oath commissioner.
- Memo of parties with full addresses, e-mails and phone numbers of every opposite party (seller, manufacturer, service centre, platform, insurer or builder, as relevant).
- List of dates and events.
- Index of documents with page numbers.
- Annexures: bill or invoice, payment proof, warranty card or brochure, complaints and replies, job sheets, photographs, legal notice and postal receipts, and your ID and address proof.
- Certificate for electronic records, if you rely on e-mails, chats or screenshots. Since 1 July 2024 this is given under section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.
- Delay application, if you are filing after two years, explaining the reasons.
Filing on e-Jagriti: step by step
- Register. Open e-jagriti.gov.in, choose to register as a consumer (party in person) or as an advocate, and verify your mobile number and e-mail by OTP. If you had an e-Daakhil account, use the migration option shown on the portal.
- Start a new case. Log in, choose to file a new case, select “Consumer Complaint”, and choose the State and the District Commission (or the State or National Commission, depending on the value).
- Enter details. Fill in complainant and opposite party details, the amount paid, the compensation claimed and the date of the cause of action. The portal uses the amount paid to suggest the correct Commission and fee.
- Upload documents. Upload the complaint, affidavit, memo of parties, list of dates, index and annexures as PDFs within the file size the portal shows.
- Pay the fee online through the linked government payment gateway. If the fee is nil, the portal lets you go ahead without payment.
- Submit and save the acknowledgement with the filing reference. If the registry points out defects, cure them within the time shown (15 days under regulation 9 of the Consumer Commission Procedure Regulations, 2020).
- Track the case through SMS and e-mail alerts, the cause list and case status on the portal. Hearings may be by video conference or in person.
Portal screens and labels change from time to time, so follow the on-screen instructions and the help section at the time of filing. Physical filing at the Commission counter is still available.
Need the complete, editable set? The Lexfolio Consumer Complaint Kit gives you the complaint, supporting affidavit, list of dates, index, memo of parties, delay condonation application, authority letter and a pre-complaint notice in English and Hindi, with an e-Jagriti filing checklist.
What happens after filing
| Stage | Time frame | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Ordinarily within 21 days of filing; deemed admitted if not decided. No rejection without hearing you. | Sections 36(2) and (3) |
| Notice to opposite party | Within 21 days of admission | Section 38(2)(a) |
| Opposite party’s reply | 30 days, extendable by not more than 15 days | Section 38(2)(a) |
| Mediation, if both consent | Consent within 5 days of the Commission’s direction | Section 37 |
| Decision | The Commission tries to decide within 3 months of notice (5 months if goods need testing) | Section 38(7) |
| Appeal from District to State Commission | 45 days, with deposit of 50 per cent of the amount ordered | Section 41 |
The Constitution Bench held in New India Assurance Co. Ltd. v. Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., (2020) 5 SCC 757 that the opposite party’s time to reply cannot be extended beyond 30 plus 15 days. If the opposite party does not reply in time, the Commission can proceed on your evidence.
What you can ask for
Under section 39 the Commission can order replacement, repair, refund with interest, compensation for loss and for mental agony and harassment, punitive damages in suitable cases, discontinuance of an unfair trade practice, corrective advertisement, and costs. Ask for each item separately with an amount and a reason. Inflated claims rarely help.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the Commission by the compensation claimed instead of the amount paid.
- Leaving out the manufacturer or the platform when they share responsibility.
- Filing after two years without a delay application.
- Unsigned pages, an unattested affidavit or unpaginated annexures.
- Missing hearings, which can lead to dismissal.
- Ignoring defects pointed out by the registry for more than 15 days.
File it properly in one sitting. The Consumer Complaint Kit walks you through jurisdiction, fees and limitation, and gives you every document e-Jagriti asks for in editable Word, so you can upload clean PDFs the same day.
If your dispute is with a Government office, an RTI application can help you collect records first; see how to file an RTI application.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to file on e-Jagriti?
No. You can register as a party in person, file and argue your own case. A lawyer helps in complex or high value matters.
Is e-Daakhil still working?
e-Jagriti, launched on 1 January 2025, brought together e-Daakhil and the older case systems. Use e-jagriti.gov.in for new filings.
What is the time limit for a consumer complaint?
Two years from the date the cause of action arose (section 69). A later complaint can be admitted if you show sufficient cause for the delay.
Is there any fee for complaints up to Rs 5 lakh?
No. Where the amount paid is up to Rs 5 lakh, the fee is nil.
Can I file against an online marketplace?
Yes. Online purchases are expressly covered. Name both the seller and the platform where both are responsible, and attach the order details and chat or e-mail records.
Can I file in my own city if the company is elsewhere?
Yes. Section 34(2)(d) lets you file where you reside or personally work for gain.
*This article is general information, not legal advice.*