Supreme Court Centralizes Petitions on CCI’s Probe Against Amazon and Flipkart to Karnataka HC

The Supreme Court has transferred all petitions challenging the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) anti-trust investigation against e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart to the Karnataka High Court. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized the need for expedited proceedings, directing that all related cases, pending in various high courts including Delhi, Madras, and Telangana, be consolidated and heard collectively by a single judge, preferably at the principal bench in Bengaluru.

The CCI, represented by Attorney General R. Venkataramani, argued that litigation across jurisdictions was stalling its inquiry into allegations of anti-competitive practices, including exclusive arrangements and deep discounting. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing one of the e-retailers, supported the consolidation, noting substantial progress in hearings at the Karnataka High Court. The court also instructed that any future similar petitions should automatically be transferred to the same court.

The anti-trust probe originated from complaints filed by the Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh in 2020, alleging violations of the Competition Act, 2002. While Amazon and Flipkart have contested the investigation, citing procedural lapses, the CCI stressed the public interest implications of addressing anti-competitive practices, urging prompt adjudication to safeguard consumer interests. The next hearing in the Karnataka High Court is scheduled for January 15.

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