[Ashutosh Rajput and Anand Singh are 3rd year B.A.,L.L.B. (Hons.) student at Hidayatullah National University, Raipur] The Competition Commission of India (CCI) in CJ Darcel Logistics Ltd. v. Dumper and Dumper Truck Union Lime Stone (7 February 2022) has issued a cease-and-desist order against the Dumper and Dumper Truck Union Lime Stone (DDTU) for contravening sections 3(3)(a) and 3(3)(b) read...
CCI Investigations and Bharti Airtel: Interpretations Galore
[Shreyas Sinha and Krishanu Paul are second-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) students at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru] On 14 February 2020, a single judge of the Karnataka High Court stayed an order of the Competition Commission of India (‘CCI’) that had directed an investigation by the Director-General under section 26(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 (‘the Act’), into...
Regulating the Honchos of the Online World – Big Tech Dominance
[Nityesh Dadhich is a IV year B.A., LL.B(Hons.) student at National Law University Delhi] On 20 January 2022, the U.S. Senate approved the American Innovation and Choice Online Bill. The Bill aims to control the abuse of dominance by ‘covered platforms’ operating over the internet. Section 2(h)(3) of the Bill defines ‘covered platform’ as the online platform having at least fifty million US-based...
App Store: Bridge between Users and Developers or Market Monopoliser?
[Amiya Krishna Upadhyay and Arnab Chakraborty are 4th Year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) and B.B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) students respectively at National Law University Odisha] On 31 December, 2021, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) directed the Director General to probe into the functioning of the App Store and corresponding in-app purchases (IAP) of the Silicon Valley giant. The allegations of the...
Algorithmic Collusion: Can the Competition Act Protect against Self-Learning Algorithms?
[Digvijay R. Singh is a 4th year BA LLB (Hons.) student at National Law School of India University, Bangalore] An algorithm is an application of reasoning by artificial intelligence (“AI”) for the finding of a probable solution to a problem. Algorithms are relied upon for the cost and efficiency benefits attributed to them. In the present day, algorithms contribute to an enterprise in multiple...
Oligopoly, Competition, Cartels and Beyond: Establishing the Need for ‘Collective Dominance’
[Swetha Somu is a 2nd year B.B.A. L.L.B (Hons.) student at Gujarat National Law University in Gandhinagar] ‘Collective dominance’ in competition law points to a scenario where two or more independent undertakings, possibly through established economic links, hold a dominant position in the market together while still being independent of each other. This concept was first recognized in the...
CCI’s Penalty on Amazon: A Necessary Intervention
[Saikishan B Rathore is a 4th year BSW LLB (Business Corporate and Financial Law Hons.) student at Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar] In a first of its kind, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on 17 December 2021 found Amazon NV Investment Holdings LLC (Amazon) guilty of contravening sections 43-A, 44 and 45 of the Competition Act, 2002 (Act). By way of its order dated 17...
Rise of Low Cost Carriers: Reexploring the Traditional Market Definition
[Akshat Kothari is a 3rd year law student at Institute of Law, Nirma University] The Indian aviation industry is attracting customers by offering affordable services. However, the industry arguably suffers from its oligopolistic nature, since 90.5% of the market share vests with only few players. The interdependence in oligopoly allows the firms to operate in combinations and it gives rise to...
The Need for a “Right to Repair” in India
[Ganesh BL is an Associate at a law firm in Mumbai and Muskaan Ahuja is an Associate at a law firm in Delhi] The notion of the ‘right to repair’ is simple and effective: an individual purchasing a product must own it completely. Apart from being able to use the product in any way they wish to, consumers must also have the right to modify or repair the product whenever, however, and in whichever...
CCI’s Opaque Penalty Regime: Need for Perspicuous Penalty Guidelines?
[Naman Katyal is a 4th-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) student at Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar] Since its inception, the Competition Commission of India (‘CCI’) has faced criticism for not supporting its calculations of quantum of penalty with suitable justifications and, therefore, levying arbitrary penalties in a number of judgements by courts and tribunals alike. In fact, section...
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