Section 2 — Definitions CONSUMER PROTECTION COUNCILS.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(1) “advertisement” means any audio or visual publicity, representation, endorsement or pronouncement made by means of light, sound, smoke, gas, print, electronic media, internet or website and includes any notice, circular, label, wrapper, invoice or such other documents;

(2) “appropriate laboratory” means a laboratory or an organisation—

(i) recognised by the Central Government; or

(ii) recognised by a State Government, subject to such guidelines as may be issued by the Central Government in this behalf; or

(iii) established by or under any law for the time being in force, which is maintained, financed or aided by the Central Government or a State Government for carrying out analysis or test of any goods with a view to determining whether such goods suffer from any defect;

(3) “branch office” means—

(i) any office or place of work described as a branch by the establishment; or

(ii) any establishment carrying on either the same or substantially the same activity carried on by the head office of the establishment; *. Vide notification No. S.O. 3912(E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh 1. 20th July, 2020.—S. 2 [Except clauses (4), (13), (14), (16), (40)], s. 3 to 9 (both inclusive), s. 28 to 73 (both inclusive) [Except sub-clause (iv) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 58], s. 74 to 81 (both inclusive), s. 82 to 87 (both inclusive), s. 90 and 91 [Except sections 88, 89, 92 and 93], s. 95, 98,100 and 101 [Except clauses (f) to (m) and clauses (zg), (zh) and (zi) of sub-section 2], s. 102, 103, 105, 106, 107 [Except sections 94, 96, 97, 99, 104], vide notification No. S.O. 2351(E), dated 15th July, 2020, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).

(4) “Central Authority” means the Central Consumer Protection Authority established under section 10;

(5) “complainant” means—

(i) a consumer; or

(ii) any voluntary consumer association registered under any law for the time being in force; or

(iii) the Central Government or any State Government; or

(iv) the Central Authority; or

(v) one or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest; or

(vi) in case of death of a consumer, his legal heir or legal representative; or

(vii) in case of a consumer being a minor, his parent or legal guardian;

(6) “complaint” means any allegation in writing, made by a complainant for obtaining any relief provided by or under this Act, that—

(i) an unfair contract or unfair trade practice or a restrictive trade practice has been adopted by any trader or service provider;

(ii) the goods bought by him or agreed to be bought by him suffer from one or more defects;

(iii) the services hired or availed of or agreed to be hired or availed of by him suffer from any deficiency;

(iv) a trader or a service provider, as the case may be, has charged for the goods or for the services mentioned in the complaint, a price in excess of the price—

(a) fixed by or under any law for the time being in force; or

(b) displayed on the goods or any package containing such goods; or

(c) displayed on the price list exhibited by him by or under any law for the time being in force; or

(d) agreed between the parties;

(v) the goods, which are hazardous to life and safety when used, are being offered for sale to the public--

(a) in contravention of standards relating to safety of such goods as required to be complied with, by or under any law for the time being in force;

(b) where the trader knows that the goods so offered are unsafe to the public;

(vi) the services which are hazardous or likely to be hazardous to life and safety of the public when used, are being offered by a person who provides any service and who knows it to be injurious to life and safety;

(vii) a claim for product liability action lies against the product manufacturer, product seller or product service provider, as the case may be;

(7) “consumer” means any person who—

(i) buys any goods for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and