The Supreme Court of India on 6th Novemer 2019 in the case of Ministry Of Water Resources vs Shreepat Rao Kamde stated as,
By no stretch of imagination can a government servant raise any dispute regarding his service conditions or for payment of gratuity or GPF or any of his retiral benefits before any of the forum under the Consumer Protection Act. The government servant does not fall under the definition of a ?consumer? as defined under Section 2(1)(d)(ii) of the Consumer Protection Act. Such government servant is entitled to claim his retiral benefits strictly in accordance with his service conditions and regulations or statutory rules framed for that purpose. The appropriate forum, for redressal of any of his grievance, may be the State Administrative Tribunal, if any, or the civil court but certainly not a forum under the Consumer Protection Act.
Section 2(1)(d) in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Who is defined as a consumer as per Consumer Protection Act:
(i) Who buys any goods for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment and includes any user of such goods other than the person who buys such goods for consideration paid or promised or partly paid or partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment, when such use is made with the approval of such person, but does not include a person who obtains such goods for resale or for any commercial purpose; or
(ii) Who avails any services for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment and includes any beneficiary of such services other than the person who avails the service for consideration paid or promised, or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment, when such services are availed with the approval of the first mentioned person;
