Consumer Complaint on e-Daakhil & NCH 1915 (2026)

Reviewed on: 2026-06-19.

When something goes wrong with a product or service, many people jump straight to filing a lawsuit. In most cases, the smarter move is to start with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) at consumerhelpline.gov.in. It is free, works in 17 languages, and operates from 8 AM to 8 PM.

NCH contacts the company directly through its network of convergence partners. If the company responds and resolves the matter, you save months of proceedings. If it does not, your NCH complaint number and the timeline of non-response become useful evidence in a formal case.

Choose the formal consumer commission route straight away when:

• The trader has already refused once and is not engaging.
• The loss is significant and you want a legally binding order with compensation.
• The complaint involves a defective product, a service deficiency, unfair trade practice, or misleading advertisement under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA 2019).
• The deadline of two years from the date of the cause of action (s.69, CPA 2019) is approaching.

NCH is run by the Department of Consumer Affairs. You can reach it by:

• Calling toll-free 1915 (8 AM to 8 PM)
• WhatsApp at +91 88000 01915
• Registering at consumerhelpline.gov.in
• Using the NCH mobile app or the UMANG government app

NCH does not pass legally binding orders. It acts as a conciliation service: it forwards your complaint to the company, whose convergence partner officer is expected to respond. You can track the complaint online and upload documents. If the company resolves the matter, you are done. If not, take that record to the formal route.

India's consumer disputes machinery under the CPA 2019 has three levels. The correct level depends on the value of the goods or services for which you paid.

The 2021 Jurisdiction Rules prescribe these operative thresholds under the proviso power in ss.34, 47, and 58. Most everyday consumer complaints fall within the District Commission's jurisdiction, which sits at the district headquarters and passes legally binding orders including refunds, replacement, and compensation.

The government built the e-Daakhil system to let consumers file complaints without travelling to a commission office. E-Daakhil allowed online filing, fee payment, and document upload.

As of June 2026, the original e-Daakhil domain (edaakhil.nic.in) is no longer resolving. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the NCDRC now point to e-jagriti.gov.in, which is the integrated online case management platform for consumer commissions. Visit the current portal to check if your District or State Commission is on-boarded and to verify the applicable filing fees before you start.

The filing process on the online portal generally involves:

1. Register as a complainant on the portal and log in.
2. Fill in the complaint form with details of the opposite party, the goods or services involved, the consideration paid, and the relief you seek.
3. Upload supporting documents (bill, warranty card, correspondence, delivery records, medical or repair reports as applicable).
4. Pay the court fee online. The fee structure is prescribed separately; verify the current schedule on the portal.
5. Download and save the acknowledgement number.

If online filing is not available for your district, you can file a paper complaint directly at the District Consumer Commission office or send it by registered post.

A consumer under CPA 2019 is any person who buys goods or avails services for personal use, not for commercial resale or for earning a livelihood by use of the goods or services for self-employment (s.2(7), CPA 2019).

You can file against any seller, manufacturer, service provider, or e-commerce platform. The complaint must allege one or more of the following:

• A defect in the goods sold.
• A deficiency in service.
• Charging a price higher than the price fixed by law or displayed on the package.
• An unfair trade practice or a restrictive trade practice.
• Goods that are hazardous to life and safety.
• Misleading advertisement.

Section 69 of the CPA 2019 is firm: a complaint must be filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action arose. The date of cause of action is generally the day you discovered the defect, the day the promised service was not delivered, or the day the company refused your refund claim.

If your deadline has passed, you can still apply for condonation of delay. The commission will entertain the complaint only if you satisfy it that you had sufficient cause for the delay, and the commission must record its reasons in writing.

Do not wait. Once you decide to go the formal route, file within the two-year window even if an NCH matter is pending, because NCH does not stop the limitation clock.

A consumer commission under CPA 2019 can direct the opposite party to:

• Replace defective goods or correct the deficiency in service.
• Refund the price paid.
• Pay compensation for any loss or injury suffered.
• Pay punitive damages in cases of gross negligence or malicious acts.
• Discontinue an unfair trade practice or misleading advertisement.
• Pay costs of the proceedings.

Appeals lie upward through the tier system. An order of the District Commission can be appealed to the State Commission, a State Commission order to the National Commission, and an NCDRC order to the Supreme Court of India (s.67, CPA 2019).

For certain regulated sectors, a dedicated ombudsman or regulator may resolve your complaint faster than a consumer commission:

• Insurance disputes: Insurance Ombudsman
• Banking and loan disputes: RBI Banking Ombudsman
• Telecom disputes: TRAI / DoT grievance mechanism
• Electricity supply disputes: State Electricity Regulatory Commission

These routes are free and often faster. You can still use the consumer commission if the ombudsman does not resolve the matter. Know your consumer rights under the CPA 2019 before you decide.

Yes. Calling 1915 and registering at consumerhelpline.gov.in are both free. NCH does not charge any fee.

NCH is a conciliation service with no power to pass binding orders. The consumer commission is a quasi-judicial body whose orders are enforceable like a court decree. Use NCH first for speed; move to the commission if NCH does not produce a resolution.

Yes. E-commerce entities are covered under the CPA 2019 and the E-Commerce Rules, 2020. You can file against the platform, the seller listed on the platform, or both, depending on where the deficiency occurred.

Under s.34(2) of the CPA 2019, you can file where you reside or work, or where the cause of action arose, or where the opposite party has a branch office. You are not required to travel to the seller's headquarters.

Yes. There is no minimum floor for filing a consumer complaint. District Commissions handle small-value disputes. The filing fee is nominal and the process is designed for ordinary consumers.

The CPA 2019 sets an aspirational timeline of three to five months for simple cases, but actual disposal times vary by commission and state. NCH mediation, when it works, is typically faster.

Yes. The commission can award compensation for mental agony, harassment, and consequential losses in addition to the refund or replacement. It can also award punitive damages in cases of serious misconduct.

Keep the original bill or invoice, warranty or guarantee card, delivery receipt, all written communication (emails, chat transcripts, letters), photographs of the defect, and any earlier complaint reference numbers including your NCH complaint number.

File an RTI to: the Consumer Affairs Department / the relevant Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

• What is the current status of my complaint (NCH reference number) and what response has the company filed?
• How many consumer complaints were filed against Company X in the last three years and what was the disposal rate?
• What is the fee schedule currently prescribed for filing online complaints at the District Commission?
• What steps has the Commission taken to implement the e-filing portal in this district?
• How many orders have been passed and enforced by the District Commission in the current financial year?

→ Use our free AI RTI Drafter to generate a complete Section 6(1) application.

• National Consumer Helpline: consumerhelpline.gov.in (accessed 2026-06-19)
• e-Jagriti consumer case filing portal: e-jagriti.gov.in (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution)
• Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (Act 35 of 2019), ss.2(7), 34, 47, 58, 69, 101: indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/15256 (accessed 2026-06-19)
• Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021: notified under the proviso to ss.34, 47, and 58 of the CPA 2019; verify current text at consumeraffairs.nic.in
• National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: ncdrc.nic.in

By Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak