The portion of the Act relating to monopoly has already become irrelevant, said Vittal.

He was addressing a programme on customer care organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

On the issue of criminal courts hearing consumer issues, Vittal said deficiencies in products or services should not be recognised as a criminal offence because criminal liability pre-supposes motive and personal involvement in the alleged offence.

It should be made mandatory to give notice to the manufacturer before approaching the consumer court. Cases should also be scrutinised by the secretariat of the consumer court before they are admitted for hearing to sift out the frivolous petitions, he added.

The vigilance commissioneremphasised on the need for the Indian consumer to insist on his or her rights, ensuring that the goods and services they receive are of international quality, easily available and produced in a corruption-free atmosphere using techniques that are also environmentally friendly.

Consumers must put pressure on regulatory authorities to act in a fair manner, ensuring a level playing field and healthy competition. However, consumer activism must operate within reasonable norms, Vittal added.

On the issue of responsibility of consumers as shareholders, Vittal said that was their responsibility to ensure that the company practices good corporate governance.

Noted management consultant and author Gurcharan Das said that the best strategy for Indian corporates to follow so that India attains competitive advantage was superior customer service.

Superior costs was a very vulnerable strategy and it would take India another 15 years or so to reach the stage where it would be technologically advancedenough to compete through superior products, said Das.