Kishore Lal vs Chairman, Employees State Insurance ...

The Supreme Court held that the services provided by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) are not covered under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, as they are gratuitous in nature. The Court emphasized that the definition of 'consumer' under the CP Act does not extend to individuals receiving free medical services from government dispensaries, citing the precedent in Birbal Singh v. ESI Corporation. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the lower courts' rulings that the appellant's complaint was not maintainable under the CP Act due to the jurisdictional provisions of the ESI Act, specifically Section 75.