Section 4 in The Orissa Consumer Protection Rules, 1987
4. Place of sitting and other matters relating to District Forum.
[Section 14(3)] - [(1) The office of the District Forum shall be located as such place within the district as may be notified by the State Government; and] [Substituted by O.G.E. No. 956 dated 19.7.1993, Notification S.R.O. No. 558/93 dated 6.7.1993.](2)The working days and the office hours of the District Forum shall be the same as that of the State Government.(3)The official seal and emblem of the District Forum shall be such as the State Government may specify.(4)[The sitting of the District Forum shall ordinary be held at the headquarters and depending on the number of cases the District Forum may also have its sitting ut other suitable places within the district.] [Substituted by O.G.E. No. 956 dated 19.7.1993, Notification S.R.O. No. 558/93 dated 6.7.1993.](5)No act or proceedings or the District Forum shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy among its members or any defects in its constitution.(6)State Government shall appoint such staff as may be necessary to assist the District Forum in its day to day work and perform such other functions as may be assigned to them by the President under these rules. The salary payable to such staff shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State Government.(7)Where the opposite party admits the allegation made by the complainant, the District Forum shall decide the complaint on the basis of the merit of the case and documents presented before it.(8)If during the proceedings conducted under Section 13, District Forum fixes a date for hearing of the parties, it shall be obligatory on the complainant and opposite party or its authorised agent to appear before the District Forum on such date of hearing or any other date to which hearing could be adjourned. Where the complainant or his authorised agent fails to appear before the District Forum on such day, the District Forum may in its discretion either dismiss the complaint for default or decide it on merit. Where the opposite party or its authorised agent tails to appear on the day of hearing, the District Forum may decide the complaint ex parte.(9)While proceeding under Sub-rule (8), the District Forum may, on such terms as it may think fit and at any stage, adjourn the hearing of the complaint but not more than adjournment shall ordinarily be given and the complaint should be decided within 90 days from the date of notice received by the opposite party where complaint does not require analysis or resting of the goods and within 150 days if it requires analysis or testing of goods.(10)Order of the District Forum shall be signed and dated by the members of the District Forum hearing the complaint and shall be communicated to the parties free of charge.
