
'Will Google follow same steps in India as it did in Europe?' SC on CCI order
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Google, seeking a stay on the ₹1,337 cr penalty imposed by India's antitrust regulator.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Google, seeking a stay on the ₹1,337 cr penalty imposed by India's antitrust regulator.
Foundational disruptions at this stage could undo the deep investments and effort made by OEMs, developers and the industry, says Google.
The appellate tribunal refuses to stay the CCI order on Google for the violations of practices in the Android mobile device ecosystem and Play Store. The next hearing is on February 13, 2022.
Google says the CCI's order against it was a "setback" for Indian users and businesses, and that it will seek a stay on the order.
Latest fine pertains to Google’s Play Store policies that require app developers to "exclusively and mandatorily" use its billing system to receive payments and certain in-app purchases.
The Competition Commission of India has issued a cease and desist order against Google from indulging in anti-competitive practices.
The apex court has said that CCI is an independent body and has the necessary jurisdiction to conduct the investigation while asking the antitrust watchdog to conduct the probe at the earliest.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman says the CCI must be more proactive and should fairly and squarely address issues related to mergers and acquisitions.
The CCI is investigating WhatsApp and Facebook for infringement of user privacy as well as violations of competition norms, through their privacy policy.
The deal is touted to be the second largest internet deal after the acquisition of Flipkart by the U.S. retail behemoth Walmart Inc.