THE JOINT LABOUR COMMISSIONER AND REGISTERING OFFICER vs KESAR LAL

The Supreme Court addressed whether a registered construction worker under the Building and Other Construction Workers’ (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 qualifies as a 'consumer' under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The court emphasized the importance of this classification for enabling beneficiaries of statutory welfare schemes to seek accountability and remedies under consumer protection laws. Ultimately, the court ruled that such workers do indeed fall within the definition of 'consumer', thereby allowing them to invoke the protections of the Consumer Protection Act.