A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a petition which said “right to know” was crucial for consumers to make informed choices and to protect themselves from unfair or restrictive trade practices and unscrupulous exploitation. In July last year, the apex court had agreed to hear the plea and sought responses from the Centre, various states and UTs and others. “We grant six weeks time to the respondents who have not filed responses to file the same…,” the bench said. “Right to know helps consumers avoid falling prey to fraudulent or deceptive distributor, dealer, trader, seller and shop owner, who might misrepresent product/services or disappear after sale, purchase and money transaction,” it said. It said in essence, the right to know empowers consumers to be informed or protected and to make choices when engaging in sale, purchase and money transactions.