Consumer Complaint: Format and How to File on e-Jagriti (2026)

Format · Drafting

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

A consumer complaint is the way you get a refund, a replacement, repair or compensation when a product is defective or a service is deficient. You file it before a Consumer Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The procedure is meant to be simple and cheap, and you can file online from home. This page gives a usable complaint format you can adapt, explains which commission to file in based on the amount, the documents you need, how to file on the e-Jagriti portal, the time limit, and how to follow the case. Last verified October 2026.

01What a consumer complaint is

A consumer complaint is a formal request to a Consumer Commission to decide a dispute between you, the consumer, and a seller or service provider. You can complain about a defective product, a deficient service, an unfair trade practice, overcharging, or a dangerous product. You can ask for a refund, a replacement, repair, removal of the defect, compensation for loss, and the cost of the case.

You are a consumer if you bought goods or hired services for your own use and not for resale or a commercial purpose. The commission follows a simpler and faster procedure than a civil court, and you do not need a lawyer, though many people use one for larger claims. For the fuller picture, see how to file a consumer complaint explained.

02Which commission to file in

There are three levels of Consumer Commission. Which one hears your complaint depends on the value of the goods or services paid as consideration, under the 2021 jurisdiction rules.

You can file in the District Commission where you live or work, as well as where the opposite party lives or carries on business, or where the cause of action arose. This makes it easier to file close to home.

03Time limit and fee

Under Section 69 of the Act, you must file the complaint within two years from the date the cause of action arose, which usually means the date the problem happened or you knew of it. If you are late, you can ask the commission to condone the delay for a good reason, explained in the complaint.

The filing fee is modest and depends on the claim amount, and for small claims it can be nil or very low. The fee is paid online when you file. For the wider framework on time limits, see limitation periods in India.

04Documents you need

Attach clear copies of everything that proves your case. Common documents are:

• the bill, invoice or receipt for the product or service;
• the warranty or guarantee card;
• the order confirmation, booking or agreement;
• photographs of the defect, or the service failure;
• emails, messages and any complaint you already made to the company;
• a repair estimate or proof of the loss you suffered; and
• an affidavit verifying the complaint, which the portal generates or you attach.

Number the documents and list them, because a missing bill or warranty is the most common reason a complaint is weakened.

05A usable format

Below is a general format you can adapt. Change the commission name, the parties and the facts to your case. Keep it factual and attach a memo of parties and the documents.

BEFORE THE DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL
COMMISSION AT ____________________

Consumer Complaint No. __________ of 20____

IN THE MATTER OF:
[Your name], [address] ................... Complainant
            VERSUS
[Company / seller name], [address] ....... Opposite Party

COMPLAINT UNDER SECTION 35 OF THE CONSUMER
PROTECTION ACT, 2019

The complainant respectfully submits:

1. That the complainant is a consumer who, on [date], bought
   [product / service] from the opposite party for Rs _______,
   vide bill / invoice No. __________ (Annexure A).

2. That [describe clearly what went wrong: the defect in the
   product or the deficiency in the service, with dates].

3. That the complainant informed the opposite party on [date]
   and requested [refund / replacement / repair], but the
   opposite party [failed to respond / refused], as shown in
   Annexure __.

4. That the act of the opposite party amounts to a deficiency
   in service / sale of a defective product / an unfair trade
   practice, and has caused the complainant loss, harassment
   and mental agony.

5. That the cause of action arose on [date] at [place], which
   is within the jurisdiction of this Commission, and the
   complaint is filed within the period of limitation.

PRAYER:
The complainant prays that this Commission may be pleased to
direct the opposite party to:
(a) [refund Rs _______ / replace the product / repair the
    defect];
(b) pay Rs _______ as compensation for loss and mental agony;
(c) pay the cost of this complaint; and
(d) grant any other relief this Commission deems fit.

Place: __________                              Complainant
Date: __________                           [Signature / name]

VERIFICATION:
Verified at ________ on ________ that the contents of this
complaint are true to my knowledge and belief.

                                               Complainant

Attach a memo of parties with full addresses, a verifying affidavit, and the numbered documents.

06Filing on e-Jagriti

You can file online instead of going to the commission in person. The official portal is e-Jagriti, the unified consumer case portal that brings together filing and case status for the District, State and National Commissions, taking over from the earlier e-Daakhil system. The steps are:

1. Register with your name, email and mobile number and verify with the one-time password.
2. Start a new case, fill in the complainant and opposite-party details, and the claim amount, which decides the commission.
3. Upload the complaint, the memo of parties, the affidavit and your documents as clear PDFs.
4. Pay the fee online and submit. You get a case number to track the matter.

For a step-by-step walk-through, see filing a consumer complaint online, and to follow the case after filing, see how to check consumer case status on e-Jagriti.

07Where Claw fits

Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

How much compensation a commission gives, and what counts as a deficiency in service, depends on how similar complaints have been decided before. Claw lets you search 30 crore+ judgments and orders, with Supreme Court decisions from 1950 and High Court decisions from 1990, to find consumer rulings close to your facts, in under 5 seconds. Once your complaint is filed, Claw tracks cases, orders and hearings across 9,102 courts, benches and forums, so you can follow the matter by party name and never miss a hearing. Claw does not use your case documents to train its AI models.

Create a FREE Claw account to find consumer rulings on point and track your complaint after filing, using case search across Indian courts. If you lose and want to appeal, see a consumer appeal to the State Commission.

08Sources and further reading

• India Code (Consumer Protection Act, 2019): indiacode.nic.in
• Department of Consumer Affairs: consumeraffairs.nic.in
• Claw: clawlaw.in

This is a general format and information, not legal advice. Jurisdiction limits, fees and portals can change, so check the current rules and the official portal, and take advice for a large claim.

09Frequently asked questions