Lok Sabha Question No. 1523 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: e-Commerce Market
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: BHARATI DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL, SUBHASH PATEL, Y. S. AVINASH REDDY

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Government of India Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1523

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2017

## E-COMMERCE MARKET

## 1523.  DR. BHARATIBEN D. SHYAL: SHRI SUBHASH PATEL: SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

## Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the e-commerce market is growing in the country at the desirable rate if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  instances  of  irregularities  in  the  functioning  of  e-commerce  have  come  to  the notice of the Government;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  of  the  remedial  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  remove  such irregularities;
- (d) whether it is a fact that online vendors are requesting the Government to set up a Regulator for e-commerce, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has taken any decision on the matter, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) : No study in this regard has been conducted.

(b)  & (c) :          The  Government  receives  suggestions/ grievances on various issues in different sectors including e-commerce  sector. The same  are considered by the Government  in consultations  with  stakeholders  including  Ministries/  Departments,  State  Governments,  apex industry chambers and other organizations and necessary amendments, if required, are made in the policy from time to time.

The Competition Commission of India has received four cases relating to the e-commerce sector, but the commission has not found any competition issue in these cases. Accordingly they have been closed at the prima facie stage.

Complaints  regarding  e-commerce  received  at  the  National  Consumer  Helpline  (NCH) are  referred  to  the  companies  for  redressal.  In  some  cases,  consumers  are  advised  to  file complaints in the appropriate Consumer Forum for redressal.

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, has been enacted to better protect the interests of the consumers. It covers all goods and services and all mode of transactions including e-commerce. Under the provision of said Act, a three tier quasi-judicial mechanism, called Consumer Disputes Redressal  Commission/  Forum,  has  been  set  up  at  the  district,  State  and  National  levels  to provide simple, quick and inexpensive redressal to consumer disputes.

(d) & (e): E-commerce  activities  are  governed  by  number  of    Regulations/Acts  of  the Government like the Shop and Establishment Act, Sales of Goods Act, Companies Act, Income Tax Laws, Information Technology Act, the Competition Act, the Consumer Protection Act, etc.

A  Committee  has  been  constituted  to  examine  various  issues  relating  to  e-commerce under the Chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog. The Committee inter-alia comprises representatives  from  Department  of  Industrial  Policy  &  Promotion,  Department  of  Economic Affairs, Department of Electronics & Information Technology, Department of Consumer Affairs and certain State Governments namely Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Punjab.

The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015, already introduced in Parliament, seeks to provide for establishment of a Central Consumer Protection Authority to look into, inter alia, unfair trade practices and take remedial action.

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