Q1. [4] medium exam-ready
Read the following situation and answer the questions that follow:
Ramesh purchased a pressure cooker from a local shop. Within a week, the safety valve of the cooker failed, causing a serious accident in his kitchen. When he approached the shopkeeper, he was told, 'You must have misused it — it is not our problem.' Ramesh was unaware of any consumer forum or legal remedy available to him.
(i) Which consumer right has been violated in this case? (1 mark)
(ii) Why is the safety valve of a pressure cooker considered so critical from a consumer rights perspective? (1 mark)
(iii) What steps can Ramesh take to seek justice, and which authority should he approach first? (2 marks)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:26 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) The Right to Safety has been violated. Ramesh's right to be protected against goods hazardous to life and property was denied when the defective safety valve caused an accident.
(ii) A pressure cooker's safety valve, if defective, can cause a serious accident. Manufacturers must ensure its high quality, and government supervision is needed to maintain safety standards, making it critical from a consumer rights perspective.
(iii) Ramesh should take the following steps:
- Collect evidence (bill, damaged cooker).
- Approach the local Consumer Forum/Consumer Protection Council for guidance.
- File a complaint in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (handles claims up to ₹1 crore) — the first authority he should approach.
- He can file the case himself without a lawyer, physically or online.
Source: Chapter 5 — Consumer Rights; Safety is Everyone's Right; Where Should Consumers Go to Get Justice?
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Explanation
- (i) Right to Safety is explicitly mentioned in the passage using the pressure cooker example — cite it directly.
- (ii) The passage gives the pressure cooker safety valve as the exact example; use it word-for-word in spirit.
- (iii) Examiners look for: (a) filing at District Commission first, (b) option to file without lawyer, (c) mention of consumer forum for advice. The three-tier structure (District → State → National) shows you understand the system. Keep steps numbered/bulleted for clarity and marks.