New Delhi, Feb. 18 -- E-commerce companies have emerged as the largest contributors to consumer refund disputes, accounting for over Rs.36 crore or nearly 70% of the Rs.52 crore of refunds facilitated through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) in the past nine months. Data released by the department of consumer affairs on Tuesday showed that between 25 April 2025 and 31 January 2026, the NCH facilitated refunds amounting to Rs.52 crore across 31 sectors by addressing 79,521 consumer complaints related to refund claims. The e-commerce sector alone accounted for 47,743 grievances and Rs.36.79 crore of refunds. Travel and tourism followed, with refunds exceeding Rs.4.16 crore across 5,149 complaints. Other key sectors included agency services (Rs.1.53 crore), electronic products (Rs.1.45 crore), and general insurance (Rs.1.18 crore). Together, the top five sectors accounted for more than 85% of the total amount refunded during the period. Citing a case study, the ministry said a consumer who bought an item from an e-commerce platform faced repeated rescheduling of the delivery date, and the company failed to refund the payment despite multiple follow-ups. After the NCH intervened, the refund was processed promptly, it said. Consumer rights groups said the data highlights systemic issues with online transactions, including delayed deliveries, no refunds for cancelled orders, and inadequate grievance redressal by platforms. "The fact that nearly 70% of facilitated refunds relate to e-commerce indicates that compliance gaps remain significant in the sector," said Ashim Sanyal, CEO, Consumer Voice, a consumer rights advocacy organisation. According to a senior government official, the refund figures reflect both the scale of digital commerce in India and the increasing willingness of consumers to assert their rights....