E-tailers get more time to air views on new rules

The consumer affairs ministry on Monday extended the deadline, for companies to send their views on proposed changes to the consumer protection (e-commerce) rules, to July 21.

With requests pouring in from the top companies, the Centre acceded to industry demands and gave them more time to assess and submit views on the proposed amendments, aimed at tightening the regulatory regime in e-commerce.

The consumer affairs ministry had sought comments from relevant stakeholders and dranted them two weeks’ time — till July 6 — to submit their inputs.

Last week, top companies including Amazon, Tata Group, Flipkart, Paytm, and Snapdeal reached out to the government, requesting the deadline for submitting comments be extended till the end of this month or at least by 20 days.

This was also a demand of several industry lobby groups.

E-commerce firms had also told the government that there was a need to have a relook at the draft e-commerce rules, and raised concerns that the proposed changes in the rules would have a negative impact on their business models.

However, the consumer affairs ministry had said that the idea was to safeguard consumer interests pertaining to the e-commerce industry, including rights to be protected against unfair trade practice.

“We believe that our most important stakeholder is the consumer and we wanted to make sure that consumer protection prevails over everything else. By announcing the e-commerce policy for consumer protection, we have demonstrated that our first and foremost concern is the consumer; 130 crore Indians are our first and foremost priority,” consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal had said on Friday.