The correct answer is: 6 months.
Section 24A of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 states that
a complaint with the District Forum, the State Commission or the National Commission with their respective jurisdiction, must be filed within 6 months from the date on which the cause of action has arisen. However, the authority may condone the delay on being satisfied by the complainant and after recording the reasons for the same.The cause of action is the event that gives rise to a right to sue. In the context of consumer protection law, the cause of action would be the act or omission of the trader that caused the consumer to suffer loss or injury.
The 6-month limitation period is intended to ensure that complaints are brought promptly and that evidence is not lost or destroyed. However, the authority may condone the delay if it is satisfied that there is a good reason for the delay and that the complainant has not acted unreasonably.
The authority may also condone the delay if it is satisfied that the complainant was not aware of the right to file a complaint within 6 months.
If the authority condones the delay, the complaint will be treated as if it had been filed within the 6-month limitation period.