competition commission of india

India's antitrust body on Friday ordered a probe into Alphabet Inc's Google in an ongoing dispute with local startups over its in-app billing system, saying the U.S. company implemented its policies in a "discriminatory manner".Indian startups have been at odds with Google for months over the fee it charges for in-app payments.The dispute escalated earlier this month after Google removed more than 100 Indian apps from its app store for violations related to billing, though it restored them after the Indian government…

Google's OTT troubles in India may have just multiplied. Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation (IDMIF), the industry body representing some of the major streaming players in India, has reportedly moved the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Google’s app store billing policy.According to a report in Economic Times, in a letter to the competition watchdog, IDMIF has termed the commission charged by Google Play Store as unjustified and said that it is an affected party in the matter. The letter further claims…

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will hear on July 14 the cross-pleas of Google and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) challenging the verdict of an appellate tribunal in a case related to Google's alleged anti-competitive practices in the Android mobile device case.On March 29, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) handed out a mixed verdict on Google's alleged anti-competitive practices in the case - upholding a fine of Rs. 1,338 crore but scrapping conditions like allowing hosting of third-party…

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday said it has granted its approval for the stake acquisition in climate technologies' business of Emerson Electric Co by BCP Emerald Aggregator LP. BCP Emerald Aggregator LP is an affiliate of US-based alternative asset manager Blackstone. The deal has been cleared under the green channel route. The proposed transaction relates to the acquisition by BCP Emerald Aggregator LP (Buyer) of a majority stake in the climate technologies business of Emerson Electric Co (Seller),…

Delhi High Court judge Prathiba M Singh on Wednesday recused herself from hearing a petition filed by Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) against the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Google.A different bench of the court will hear the matter on Tuesday, April 18, subject to orders by the chief justice, Justice Singh said.ADIF, which represents Indian startups such as MapmyIndia, Paytm, Matrimony, and TrulyMadly, in its petition alleged that the antitrust regulator’s “inaction” on complaints filed against…

Google on Wednesday said it is reviewing the decision by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in the Competition Commission of India (CCI) case and evaluating its legal options.The NCLAT has directed that Google will have to pay the fine of Rs 1,337.76 crore, imposed on it by the CCI in October last year for anti-competitive practices in relation to Android mobile devices."We are grateful for the opportunity given by the NCLAT to make our case. We are reviewing the order and evaluating our legal options," a…

An Indian tribunal on Wednesday gave partial relief to Alphabet Inc's Google by setting aside four of 10 antitrust directives in a case related to the dominant market position of its Android operating system.The Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in October that Google had exploited its dominant position in Android and told it to remove restrictions imposed on device makers, including related to the pre-installation of apps. It also fined Google $161 million (roughly Rs. 1,325 crore).An Indian appeals tribunal on…

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Monday concluded its hearing over the petition filed by Google, in which the tech giant challenged the Competition Commission's order imposing a Rs 1,337.76 crore penalty for anti-competitive practices in relation to Android mobile devices. A two-member Bench of NCLAT was conducting the hearing on a day-to-day basis for over a month. "Heard learned counsel for the parties. Hearing is completed. Judgment Reserved," said the NCLAT bench comprising chairperson Justice…

The draft Digital India Bill, which will replace the Information Technology Act, 2000, is likely to be ready by early July, sources told ET.There will be at least two more consultations on the principles of the Bill by March 20, and the draft consultation will last 90 days, they added. The first consultation meeting on the Bill was held in Bengaluru on Thursday. It was attended by as many as 300 stakeholders, of whom more than 200 attended virtually.The stakeholders consisted of law firms, technology companies, technology…

Indian app developers believe that the unbundling of Google-controlled app ecosystem in India will help them create several new business models for engaging with users through partnerships with hardware firms and operating systems.The country’s app ecosystem could mirror that of China where there are a multitude of operating systems and Play Store options with different apps that users can choose to deploy on their smartphones, they said.“The possibilities are endless and it could even mirror the best part of China's…