Consumer forum jurisdiction remains available despite cooperative society dispute mechanisms under consumer protection law.

Section 3 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 provides an additional remedy and does not exclude other statutory remedies, so consumer fora can entertain complaints by members of a cooperative society despite the dispute-resolution mechanism under the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Societies Act, 1983. The Consumer Protection Act is beneficial legislation requiring broad, purposive construction, and its independent remedial scheme includes compensation for mental agony and suffering. The cooperative statute and its bar provision did not override that express jurisdiction, so the consumer complaints were maintainable and the District Forum had jurisdiction; the matter was remanded for decision on the remaining merits.

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Issues: Whether the consumer forum had jurisdiction to entertain complaints by members of a cooperative society notwithstanding the dispute-resolution mechanism under the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Societies Act, 1983.

Analysis: Section 3 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 makes the remedy under that Act additional to, and not in derogation of, remedies available under other laws. The consumer legislation is beneficial in nature and must receive a broad, purposive construction so as to provide speedy, simple and effective redressal. The dispute under Section 90 of the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Societies Act, 1983 does not exclude the jurisdiction conferred on consumer forums, because the Consumer Protection Act creates an independent and wider remedial avenue, including reliefs such as compensation for mental agony and suffering. The scheme of the cooperative legislation and the bar under Section 156 do not override the express additional jurisdiction under the Consumer Protection Act.

Conclusion: The consumer complaints were maintainable and the District Forum had jurisdiction to entertain them; the contrary view of the State Commission was incorrect. The matter was remanded to the State Commission to decide the remaining issues on merits.

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