In Brief
The Supreme Court resolved a reference concerning whether consumer forums can adjudicate the legality of statutory fees charged by development authorities. The Court held that while true sovereign functions (taxation, judicial decisions, policing) and common-burden impositions are exempt from consumer protection laws, statutory fees charged as quid pro quo for services rendered fall within consumer forum jurisdiction. The Court overruled HUDA v. Sunita, which had denied jurisdiction, finding it was decided without considering prior judgments or the beneficial purposes of the Consumer Protection Act. The case was remanded for merit consideration."
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