NEW DELHI: Concerned over increasing vacancies in National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) and Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the Supreme Court has sought the government’s plan to fill the vacancies. The Centre will submit its response on Monday.

The SC taking note of depleting strength gains significance considering that NCRDC, the country’s Apex Consumer Commission, has only eight members out of the sanctioned strength of 11. Four more will retire over the next three months. Its president Justice D K Jain is retiring in January.

The average period between two hearings (known as adjournment) in the NCDRC has increased to 94 days this year against 81 days in 2015. The data available in public domain also show that while 10,066 cases were filed in the NCDRC in the past 11 months, only 1,900 cases have been admitted so far. The worst indicator is only 669 cases were admitted within 21 days. As per the Consumer Protection Act, cases should be admitted or rejected in three weeks.

“Delay in appointing members in NCDRC will increase the pendency and period of adjournments. At present, consumers look up to the apex commission for justice. While talking about consumer empowerment and making them the king, the government should also fill the vacancies,” said Gaurav Prakash, who has started an online petition to push for quicker processing of cases and urgent filling of vacancies in these commissions.

Last week, the SC had asked whether the government would appoint members on a priority basis as per the news rules or old rules and if the present members of CAT and NCDRC on the verge of retirement could get extension for another three months.

“In view of the nature of function of the tribunals, we enquired from the attorney general whether it will be in the fitness of things to allow the adjudicator who are continuing in these two tribunals for a period of three months so that things can be brought under control. Attorney general prays for time till December 11, 2017, to obtain instruction for the said purpose. Be it noted, our suggestion is only in respect of NCDRC and CAT and nothing more,” a bench headed by Chief Justice Deepak Misra had said.

Sources said giving extension to retiring members in NCDRC won’t be possible as the Act does not allow.