Why in news?
The Department of Consumer Affairs’ e‑Jagriti platform has received the Silver Award for Government Process Re‑Engineering at the National Awards for e‑Governance 2026. Launched on 1 January 2025, the portal integrates various consumer grievance systems into a single paperless interface and has achieved a case disposal rate of over 90 %.
Background
India’s Consumer Protection Act, 2019 modernised the framework for safeguarding consumer rights. It created a three‑tier dispute redressal mechanism comprising district commissions, state commissions and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). However, multiple legacy IT systems—Online Consumer Mediation System (OCMS), e‑Daakhil, NCDRC Case Management System and CONFONET—made filing and tracking complaints cumbersome. e‑Jagriti consolidates these into a role‑based portal accessible to consumers, advocates and commissions across India and abroad.
Key features
- Single sign‑on: Users register once and can file complaints, upload documents, pay fees and monitor case progress online. The portal supports virtual hearings, allowing parties to appear via video conference from anywhere in the world.
- Integration of legacy systems: e‑Jagriti merges data from OCMS, e‑Daakhil, NCDRC CMS and CONFONET, ensuring that historical cases are preserved and that judges have comprehensive information.
- Case disposal rates: In its first full year the platform facilitated filing of over 2.29 lakh cases and disposal of more than 2.07 lakh cases, giving an overall disposal rate of 90.75 %. In financial year 2025‑26 the disposal rate improved to 92.3 %.
- Virtual hearings and NRI access: The number of video‑conferenced hearings quadrupled between 2024‑25 and 2025‑26. Over 3,300 Non‑Resident Indians have registered on the platform; they can file complaints without returning to India, and many cases have already been disposed.
- Support services: Weekly Jansunwai sessions and a help‑desk system handle user queries. Email notifications and order uploads have increased significantly, ensuring timely communication between commissions and litigants.
Conclusion
e‑Jagriti demonstrates how digital platforms can transform access to justice. By reducing paperwork, enabling online hearings and centralising information, it has made consumer grievance redressal faster and more transparent. Continued training of staff and expansion of virtual infrastructure will be key to sustaining its success.