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The Supreme Court has provided temporary relief to Amazon, Flipkart, and their associated sellers by agreeing to transfer all pending cases to the Karnataka High Court.
The apex court’s decision comes in the backdrop of multiple cases concerning the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) probe into alleged anti-competitive practices by the e-commerce giants being filed across various High Courts. The Karnataka HC was set to hear the matter on December 17.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had raised concerns about the CCI bypassing ongoing proceedings in these High Courts.
Amazon, Flipkart, and sellers had opposed transferring all pending cases to the Supreme Court, arguing instead that the Karnataka High Court should hear and decide the matter. The SC, agreeing with their stance, expressed a prima facie view that consolidating all cases under the Karnataka HC would be appropriate.
The CCI has also consented to this arrangement, on the condition that proceedings before other High Courts are stayed.
The interim stay delays the Karnataka HC hearing, however, it will streamline the legal process, ensuring uniformity and avoiding parallel proceedings across multiple courts.
The probe, initiated by the CCI, found evidence suggesting that both e-commerce giants engaged in practices like exclusive arrangements, deep discounting, and preferential listings on their platforms. These practices are alleged to violate competition laws and harm smaller sellers.
Following the CCI's findings, Amazon and Flipkart filed separate petitions in various high courts, challenging the investigation. The CCI, in response, has urged the Supreme Court to transfer all related cases to a single judicial body, either the Supreme Court or the Delhi High Court. The regulator contends that conflicting rulings from different high courts could undermine its statutory role in ensuring fair competition.
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The apex court’s decision comes in the backdrop of multiple cases concerning the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) probe into alleged anti-competitive practices by the e-commerce giants being filed across various High Courts. The Karnataka HC was set to hear the matter on December 17.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had raised concerns about the CCI bypassing ongoing proceedings in these High Courts.
Amazon, Flipkart, and sellers had opposed transferring all pending cases to the Supreme Court, arguing instead that the Karnataka High Court should hear and decide the matter. The SC, agreeing with their stance, expressed a prima facie view that consolidating all cases under the Karnataka HC would be appropriate.
The CCI has also consented to this arrangement, on the condition that proceedings before other High Courts are stayed.
The interim stay delays the Karnataka HC hearing, however, it will streamline the legal process, ensuring uniformity and avoiding parallel proceedings across multiple courts.
The probe, initiated by the CCI, found evidence suggesting that both e-commerce giants engaged in practices like exclusive arrangements, deep discounting, and preferential listings on their platforms. These practices are alleged to violate competition laws and harm smaller sellers.
Following the CCI's findings, Amazon and Flipkart filed separate petitions in various high courts, challenging the investigation. The CCI, in response, has urged the Supreme Court to transfer all related cases to a single judicial body, either the Supreme Court or the Delhi High Court. The regulator contends that conflicting rulings from different high courts could undermine its statutory role in ensuring fair competition.
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