How to Raise a Consumer Complaint Online in India

An online consumer complaint in India can mean three different things: a written complaint to the business, a pre-litigation grievance with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), or a case filed with a Consumer Commission through e-Jagriti. Start with a clear record of the purchase and problem. Choose the route that matches your goal, and do not treat a helpline docket or portal reference as a ruling.

This is a process guide, not a decision about whether a particular person, transaction, respondent, claim or remedy qualifies. Eligibility, limitation, territorial and pecuniary jurisdiction, documents and fees depend on current law, official instructions and the facts.

Organize the records before you start

Collect what you already have: an order confirmation, invoice, receipt or contract; payment and delivery records; the product or service description and relevant terms; dated records of the problem; and messages with the seller, service provider, marketplace or other parties. Keep original files and a backup.

Write a short chronology in plain language: what you bought or agreed to, what was promised, what happened, when you contacted the business and what remains unresolved. If several businesses were involved, record each role and the legal name shown on your documents. A seller, marketplace, payment provider, delivery service and brand may be different entities; do not assume responsibility based only on a familiar name.

Share only what is needed. Keep account numbers, identity documents, addresses and payment details out of public posts and send sensitive records only through a verified official channel.

First, write to the business

Use a contact channel the business identifies. Include the order or service reference, important dates, a concise description of the issue and the response you would like the business to consider. Attach only relevant records, then save the sent message and any acknowledgment or reference number.

A clear request helps the business understand the problem; it does not by itself establish an entitlement to a refund, replacement, repair, compensation or other result. Describe what your records show and what remains unresolved.

Use NCH for pre-litigation grievance assistance

The Department of Consumer Affairs describes NCH as an alternate dispute-redressal mechanism at the pre-litigation stage. Its official pages list online registration and other channels, including calls to 1915 or 1800 11 4000, WhatsApp, SMS, the NCH app and UMANG. The contact page currently lists calls daily except national holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Check the live page before relying on hours or channel availability.

Save the docket number and use NCH's tracking facility to check updates. NCH says a grievance is forwarded to the concerned company, agency, regulator or ombudsman for action and follow-up. It says efforts will be made to obtain redress; if the grievance is not resolved to your full satisfaction, you may choose to approach the appropriate Consumer Commission. That is a separate process. An NCH grievance is not a Commission case or a decision on the merits.

Prepare carefully before an e-Jagriti filing

e-Jagriti is the Department of Consumer Affairs' portal for Consumer Commission case filing and related services. Its help page lists guides for Consumer Complaint case filing, payment and other case types. The official Consumer Complaint filing guide describes a multi-step form for case, complainant and opposite-party details, supporting documents, review and final submission. The portal and help documents can change, so follow the current instructions shown for the filing you select.

Before entering information, organize your chronology and supporting records. Check the names, addresses and roles of each proposed party against source documents. Review dates, amount details, category, selected Commission and requested relief against your facts and current official guidance. The fields and document examples in a guide explain the interface; they do not determine the correct respondent, claim, forum, document set or fee for your case. Do not assume that every item listed in an older guide applies to every filing.

Review the completed preview before submitting and save the materials you send and the resulting reference. A reference number can help identify a submission; it does not itself mean the Commission admitted the complaint or decided in your favour. Continue to check the official portal for scrutiny, notices and any required next step.

Before uploading, create a simple index that maps each file to a date, source and the point it supports. The March 2025 e-Jagriti filing guide lists an index, synopsis or list of dates and events, memo of parties, complaint with affidavit and annexures among the materials in its described filing flow. Treat these as examples from that guide, not a checklist for every case. Keep originals separate from any redacted or annotated copies. Name files consistently, check that each opens and is readable, and preserve the surrounding context, sender, time and attachments when exporting messages. Save an exact copy of the files and preview you submit alongside the portal reference. Remove unrelated personal details where appropriate, but do not alter the original records.

Check time and forum promptly

Section 69 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 generally says a Consumer Commission shall not admit a complaint unless it is filed within two years from the date the cause of action arose. It also allows a Commission to entertain a later complaint if sufficient cause is shown and reasons are recorded. Identifying the cause-of-action date, any applicable rule, the correct Commission and whether delay can be condoned requires analysis of the facts and current law. Do not rely on a generic online calculator for a case-specific deadline.

The appropriate Commission and other filing requirements can depend on the claim and governing rules. This guide does not determine pecuniary or territorial jurisdiction, consumer status, party liability, admissibility, fees or available relief. Get qualified legal help promptly if the amount is significant, a deadline may be close, multiple parties are involved, evidence is disputed, or you are uncertain which forum is appropriate.

Practical checklist

• I saved purchase or service proof, payment records and relevant communications.
• I wrote the events in date order and identified what remains unresolved.
• I recorded the legal names and separate roles of the businesses involved.
• I contacted the business through a stated channel and kept proof of the message.
• I understand NCH is pre-litigation assistance, separate from a Consumer Commission case.
• Before filing through e-Jagriti, I checked its current official instructions for documents, fees and the filing route I selected.
• I reviewed names, dates, details, requested relief and attachments before final submission.
• I saved the NCH docket or e-Jagriti reference and understand it is not a decision on the merits.
• I sought qualified advice where eligibility, limitation, jurisdiction, responsibility or relief is uncertain.

Teams handling these records across repeated matters can review Gotham's practice-area workflows, its source-linked legal workflows, and its legal case management approach, which describes intake, matter records, documents, source-linked events and reviewed status reporting. These tools can support internal organization; official portals remain the filing and case-status authorities. To discuss whether this operating model fits a legal team's process, contact Gotham.

Official sources

Official pages checked on 29 October 2026. Recheck them before using a channel or filing.

Questions about filing a consumer complaint online

Is an NCH grievance the same as filing a case in Consumer Commission?

No. The Department describes NCH as a pre-litigation grievance mechanism. A Consumer Commission case is a separate legal proceeding with its own eligibility and filing requirements.

Does an NCH docket mean the business must give me a refund?

No. A docket identifies a grievance and can be used to track it. NCH says it will make efforts to obtain redress, but the docket is not a decision that a business is liable or that a particular remedy is due.

Does an e-Jagriti reference mean my complaint has been admitted?

No. A reference identifies a submission. Check the official portal for scrutiny, admission and any subsequent notices or instructions.

How much time do I have to file a consumer complaint?

Section 69 generally sets a two-year period from when the cause of action arose, with a possible later filing where the Commission finds sufficient cause and records reasons. Determining the relevant date and whether an exception applies is case-specific; get qualified advice promptly.

Which Consumer Commission should I choose?

The correct Commission depends on applicable law and the facts, including the claim and relevant jurisdiction rules. The portal's field or a guide screenshot does not decide that issue. Verify it before filing or seek qualified advice.

What documents are required on e-Jagriti?

Follow the current official instructions for the case type you select. The March 2025 guide lists examples and interface steps, but not every item necessarily applies to every case and the portal may have changed.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Whether a person, purchase, respondent, claim, forum or remedy qualifies depends on current law and the facts. Check official instructions and seek qualified legal help where eligibility, limitation or jurisdiction is uncertain.
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