Consumer jurisdiction excludes share allotment applications before allotment, as a prospective investor is not yet a consumer.

Consumer status under the Consumer Protection Act requires a completed purchase of goods or hiring of services for consideration. A mere application for allotment of shares, before allotment, does not create such a relationship and leaves the applicant only as a prospective investor. On that basis, the District Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum had no jurisdiction to entertain the complaint relating to share allotment, and the writ petitions were allowed.

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Issues: Whether the District Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum had jurisdiction to entertain a complaint relating to an application for allotment of shares under the Consumer Protection Act.

Analysis: The dispute turned on whether a person who had merely applied for allotment of shares could be treated as a consumer. The governing principle applied was that consumer status under the Act requires a completed transaction of purchase of goods or hiring of services for consideration. An application for allotment of shares, before allotment, does not amount to purchase of goods or hiring of services, and the applicant remains only a prospective investor.

Conclusion: The consumer forum had no jurisdiction to entertain the claim, and the writ petitions were allowed.

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