Rules explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
These Model Rules say how the pay, allowances and conditions of service of the President and members of State and District Commissions are pegged to State Government posts and judges' scales. They also cover medical fitness, a casual vacancy in the President's office, leave, declarations of assets and interests, a bar on arbitration work and on practice after retirement, oaths and the source of payment.
They are Model Rules, made by the Central Government as G.S.R. 451(E) on 15 July 2020 under the proviso to section 102(1) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Each State makes its own rules under section 102; this article gives no State's figures and describes only the model text. This article takes the rules as amended up to G.S.R. 474(E) dated 2 August 2024, which substituted rule 11(2). Later amendments should be checked on the Department of Consumer Affairs website, and a reader should look at the rules of the State concerned.
A District Commission President is paid as a District Judge in the super time scale, a State Commission President as a sitting High Court Judge. A member of the District Commission gets the minimum of the scale of a Deputy Secretary and a State Commission member that of an Additional Secretary, with an annual upward revision at 3% as printed. Pension is set off against pay. Since 2024 the bar is on practising before the State Commission or the District Commission after retirement from that Commission. A two-year cooling-off applies to employment connected with parties to a proceeding.
State Governments drafting service rules, and members or candidates comparing terms, can ask for legal consultation before relying on a particular model provision.
Rules 1 and 2: title, commencement and definitions
Rule 1 gives the full title and the commencement date, 20 July 2020. Rule 2 defines "Act", "Member" (of the District or State Commission), "President" (of the District or State Commission) and "State Government", which includes an administrator of a Union territory appointed under article 239 of the Constitution, except in rule 13. Other words take the Act's meaning.
Rules 3 and 4: salary and allowances
| District Commission (rule 3) | State Commission (rule 4) | |
|---|---|---|
| President | Salary and allowances as admissible to a District Judge in the super time scale of pay | Salary and other allowances as admissible to a sitting judge of the High Court of the State |
| Member | Pay equal to the minimum of the scale of pay of a Deputy Secretary of the State Government, and other allowances as admissible to that officer | Pay equivalent to the minimum of the scale of pay of an Additional Secretary of the State Government, and other allowances as admissible to that officer |
| Pension | Pay is reduced by the gross amount of pension drawn | Same |
| Annual revision | Annual upward revision of the pay of the President and member at the rate of 3% | Annual upward revision of the pay of a member at the rate of 3% |
Rule 4(4) mentions only "a member" for the annual revision, while rule 3(4) mentions "the President and member". The article follows the text as printed. The rules give no rupee figure, because the pay follows the scales of posts that each State sets. An invented example: a person who draws a pension and is appointed member of a District Commission has the gross pension subtracted from the pay under rule 3(3).
Rule 5: medical fitness
No person is appointed as President or member "unless he is declared medically fit by an authority specified by the State Government in this behalf". The appointment procedure in the Qualification Rules also needs a fitness certificate, explained in the article on rules 5 and 6.
Rule 6: casual vacancy
If the office of President of the State Commission or District Commission falls vacant, the State Government has power to appoint the senior-most Member to officiate as President. The rule speaks of a casual vacancy and does not set a time limit. The Act's own vacancy provisions are in the article on sections 29 to 33.
Rules 7 to 9: house rent, transport, leave and medical facilities
- Rule 7: house rent allowance at the same rate as admissible to a Group A Officer of the State Government of a corresponding status.
- Rule 8: transport allowance at the same rate as for a Group A Officer of corresponding status.
- Rule 9: leave, Leave Travel Concession, medical treatment and hospital facilities as per the provisions applicable to Group A Government servants in the State Government.
The pattern is the same: the Commission member is matched to a Group A officer of corresponding status in the State.
Rule 10: declaration of interests
Before entering office, the President or member "shall ... declare his assets, and his liabilities and financial and other interests". The rule does not prescribe a form; it only requires the declaration before entry.
Rule 11: other conditions of service
Rule 11 has four sub-rules.
- 11(1): terms and conditions on which no express provision is made are those admissible to a Group A Officer of the State Government of a corresponding status.
- 11(2) as substituted in 2024: "The President or Member shall not practice before the State Commission or the District Commission, after retirement from the service of that Commission." So the bar relates to the State Commission and District Commission, and to the Commission from whose service the person retired. The earlier text, which named the National Commission as well, is replaced.
- 11(3): the President or member shall not undertake any arbitration work while functioning in these capacities.
- 11(4): for two years from the date on which they cease to hold office, they shall not accept any employment in, or connected with the management or administration of, any person who has been a party to a proceeding before the State Commission or the District Commission. The proviso says this does not apply to employment under the Central Government, a State Government or a local authority, or in any statutory authority or any corporation established by or under any Central, State or Provincial Act, or a Government company as defined in clause (45) of section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013.
An invented example: a retired District Commission President cannot appear as an advocate before that District Commission or before the State Commission under rule 11(2) as substituted, and for two years she cannot take a job with a company that was a party to a proceeding before her Commission, unless the proviso to rule 11(4) covers the employer.
Rule 12: oaths
Every person appointed President or member shall, before entering upon office, make and subscribe an oath of office in Form I and an oath of secrecy in Form II annexed to the rules. The forms are printed in the annexure; Form II is a promise not to communicate or reveal to any person any matter brought under consideration or known in the capacity of President or member, except as required for the proper discharge of duties.
Rule 13: where the money comes from
The salary, remuneration and other allowances are defrayed from the Consolidated Fund of the State Government, and for the Union Territories from the Consolidated Fund of India.
Rule 14: no variation to disadvantage
The terms and conditions of service of the President and members "shall not be varied to their disadvantage during their tenure of office". A State rule cannot cut pay or conditions for sitting members mid-term.
How the Model Rules sit with the State's rules
The proviso to section 102(1) lets the Central Government make model rules, and the State Government makes the rules under the section. Whatever a State's own rules say governs in that State. Use these Model Rules as the reference text, and always check the State's rules and notifications.
Need help with Commission service conditions?
If you are a State Department preparing rules, a member planning post-retirement work or a candidate comparing terms, a short review of the model text and your State's rules is useful. Our legal consultation team can compare the two and flag differences.
Key takeaways
- These are Model Rules; each State makes its own rules under section 102.
- Pay is pegged to a District Judge in the super time scale, a sitting High Court Judge, or the minimum scale of a Deputy Secretary or Additional Secretary.
- Pension is set off against pay; an annual 3% upward revision is printed.
- Since the 2024 amendment, retired members must not practise before the State Commission or the District Commission after retirement from that Commission's service.
- Arbitration work during office is barred, and a two-year bar applies to employment connected with parties, with exceptions.
- Terms cannot be varied to a member's disadvantage during tenure.
Read next
- Rules 7–10 of the Qualification Rules: resignation, removal, inquiry and term of office
- Rules 1–4 of the Qualification Rules: qualifications for State and District Commissions
- Section 102: State Government's power to make rules
- Sections 29–33: District Commission members, salaries, vacancy and staff
Disclaimer: Based on the rules, regulations and guidelines named above as published in the Gazette of India or on the CCPA website, with the amending notifications the article names (consulted on 3 October 2026). Later amendments, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provisions referred to, State rules and CCPA advisories should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.