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.
The Central Consumer Protection Council is the Act's high-level advisory body on consumer rights. The Central Council Rules say who sits on it, for how long, how vacancies are filled, how working groups are formed, how meetings are called and run, and what non-official members may claim for attending.
The rules were notified as G.S.R. 447(E) on 15 July 2020 under clauses (d), (e) and (zj) of section 101(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and came into force on 20 July 2020. This article takes them as amended up to 3 October 2026 (no amending notification is listed by the Department of Consumer Affairs). Later amendments should be checked on the Department of Consumer Affairs website. The Act's own provisions on the Council are in the article on sections 3 to 5, and the State and District Councils are in the article on sections 6 to 9.
The Central Council has not more than thirty-six members, chaired by the Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs, with the Minister of State or Deputy Minister as Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary in charge of Consumer Affairs as Member-Secretary. Its term is three years, continuing for up to three months more or until reconstitution. Meetings need at least fifteen days' written notice with an agenda, and draft minutes are due within one week. Non-local non-official members are entitled to economy class airfare and rupees five thousand per day of a meeting.
Associations, industry bodies and advisers who want to bring a consumer issue before policy forums can ask for legal consultation on the right channel and the form of the representation.
Rules 1 and 2: title, commencement and definitions
Rule 1 gives the short title and the commencement date, the 20th day of July, 2020. Rule 2 defines "Act", "Central Council" (the Council established under section 3(1)), "Chairperson", "Schedule" and "State", which includes a Union territory. Other words take the Act's meaning.
Rule 3: composition
The Central Government establishes the Council by notification in the Official Gazette, with members "not exceeding thirty-six", as follows.
| Clause | Member |
|---|---|
| (a) | The Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs in the Central Government, Chairperson |
| (b) | The Minister of State (not holding independent charge) or Deputy Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs, Vice-Chairperson |
| (c) | The Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs of two States from each region in Schedule I, changed by rotation on expiry of the Council's term on each occasion |
| (d) | An administrator (whether designated administrator or Lieutenant Governor) of a Union territory to represent that Union territory as in Schedule II, changed by rotation on expiry of the term on each occasion |
| (e) | Two Members of Parliament: one from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha |
| (f) | Representatives of Central Government Departments, autonomous organisations or regulators concerned with consumer interests, not exceeding five, nominated by the Central Government |
| (g) | The Chief Commissioner of the Central Consumer Protection Authority |
| (h) | The Registrar, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi |
| (i) | Representatives of consumer organisations, not exceeding five, nominated by the Central Government |
| (j) | Representatives with proven expertise and experience capable of representing consumer interests, from consumer organisations, consumer activists, research and training organisations, academicians, farmers, trade or industry, not exceeding five, one from each region in Schedule I, of whom at least one shall be a woman |
| (k) | Secretaries in charge of Consumer Affairs in the States, not exceeding three, nominated by the Central Government |
| (l) | The Secretary in charge of Consumer Affairs in the Central Government, Member-Secretary |
The Council is therefore a mix of ministers, officials, regulators and non-official representatives, with State and regional rotation. Clause (c) names "two of the States from each region", and clause (j) draws one representative from each of the five regions. Schedules I and II sit under the clauses (c) and (d); the Schedule headings print "See rule 3 (3)" and "See rule 3 (4)", while the clauses concerned are (c) and (d) of rule 3, and the article follows the clause letters.
The regional Schedules
Schedule I divides the States into five regions: Eastern (Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal), Western (Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan), Northern (Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand), Southern (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana) and North Eastern (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim). Schedule II lists the Union territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Rule 4: term
The term of the Central Council is three years. The proviso says it "shall continue to function for a further period of three months or till it is reconstituted, whichever is earlier". The Council does not lapse the day its term ends; the extra period is capped at three months.
Rules 5 and 6: resignation and vacancy
Rule 5: any member may resign by notice in writing under his hand addressed to the Chairperson. Rule 6(1): the vacancy is filled by a fresh appointment from the same category of members by the Central Government. Rule 6(2): the new member holds office only for the period the original member would have held it. An invented example: a farmer representative under clause (j) resigns eighteen months into a three-year term. The replacement, drawn from the same category, serves only for the remaining period.
Rule 7: working groups
- 7(1): the Council may constitute from among its members such working groups as it deems necessary; each performs the tasks assigned to it.
- 7(2): each group gets clearly defined tasks through terms of reference that include the time-period within which the task is to be completed.
- 7(3): working groups report to the Chairperson.
- 7(4): the findings of each group are placed before the Council for its consideration.
- 7(5): a working group ceases to function on completion of its task.
Rule 8: meetings
| Sub-rule | Provision |
|---|---|
| 8(1) | Meetings are ordinarily held in the National Capital Territory of Delhi; the Chairperson may hold them elsewhere in India where expedient |
| 8(2) | The Chairperson, or in his absence the Vice-Chairperson, presides |
| 8(3) | In the absence of both, a member elected for the purpose presides |
| 8(4) | A meeting is called with the Chairperson's approval by written notice to every member at least fifteen days before the intended date, by post or by e-mail |
| 8(5) | The notice states the time, date, place and agenda items |
| 8(6) | Business not on the agenda is not transacted except with the permission of the person presiding |
| 8(7) | Draft minutes are prepared as soon as possible and not later than one week from the conclusion of the meeting and submitted for approval of the presiding person |
| 8(8) | Approved draft minutes are forwarded to each member as soon as possible for adoption at the next meeting |
| 8(9) | No proceedings are invalid merely because of a vacancy or a defect in the Council's constitution |
Rule 8(9) matters in practice: a vacancy in one of the seats does not undo what the Council decides.
Rule 9: expenses and sitting fees
- 9(1): non-local non-official members are entitled to (a) economy class airfare for journeys to and from meetings of the Council or its working groups and (b) rupees five thousand per day of a meeting as incidental charges to cover daily allowance, lodging and local conveyance.
- 9(2): each claim is subject to the member's certificate that he will not claim any benefit from any other ministry, department or organisation of the Central Government for the visit.
- 9(3): local non-official members residing at the meeting venue are entitled to consolidated conveyance hire charges of up to rupees one thousand per day of a meeting, irrespective of the classification of the city.
- 9(4): Members of Parliament are entitled to travelling and daily allowances at the rates admissible to them.
The amounts above are those printed in rule 9 and no other.
Need help with a consumer policy or compliance question?
The Central Council is advisory and works at the level of policy; most businesses and consumers deal with Commissions and the Authority directly. If you want to know which forum fits your issue, our legal consultation team can look at the facts and point to the right one. The CCPA's own regulations begin with the article on the Allocation of Business Regulations.
Key takeaways
- The Council has at most thirty-six members, chaired by the Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs.
- Two States per region and Union territories sit by rotation; at least one woman is among the five expert representatives.
- The term is three years with a further continuation of up to three months or until reconstitution.
- Meetings need fifteen days' written notice with an agenda; draft minutes are due within one week.
- Working groups have terms of reference with a time-period and report to the Chairperson.
- Non-local non-official members get economy class airfare and rupees five thousand per meeting day; local members up to rupees one thousand.
Read next
- CCPA establishment notification and Allocation and Transaction of Business Regulations, 2020
- Sections 3–5: the Central Consumer Protection Council
- Sections 6–9: State and District Consumer Protection Councils
- Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
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.