The Joint Labour Commissioner And ... vs Kesar Lal

The Supreme Court ruled that a construction worker registered under the Building and Other Construction Workers’ (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 qualifies as a 'consumer' under Section 2(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The Court held that beneficiaries of statutory welfare schemes are entitled to seek remedies under the Consumer Protection Act, thereby affirming the decisions of the State and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions which ordered the payment of financial assistance and compensation to the respondent.