In Brief
A construction worker registered under the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996 who contributed to a welfare fund qualifies as a 'consumer' under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, despite the meagre amount of contribution relative to the benefits claimed. The Supreme Court held that statutory welfare services, when not provided free of charge, fall within consumer protection jurisdiction. The Court rejected arguments that such schemes are purely sovereign functions or that small contributions disqualify beneficiaries from being consumers. Public accountability of welfare boards is enforceable through consumer forums. The respondent's application for marriage assistance was wrongly rejected, and the state was directed to pay benefits with interest.
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