Q. With reference to “Leniency plus Programme” consider the following statements:
1.It is an initiative introduced by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that is designed to encourage companies to disclose information about cartels and other anti-competitive practices in exchange for reduced penalties.
2.Under the Leniency Plus Programme, a company that has already applied for leniency in an ongoing cartel investigation can submit a separate application for leniency in another cartel investigation..
Select the correct statements using the codes given below:
Explanation –
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The Leniency Plus Programme is a new initiative introduced by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in 2023. The program is designed to encourage companies to disclose information about cartels and other anti-competitive practices in exchange for reduced penalties.
Under the Leniency Plus Programme, a company that has already applied for leniency in an ongoing cartel investigation can submit a separate application for leniency in another cartel investigation.
If the CCI finds that the information provided in the second application is valuable and helps to detect and prosecute the second cartel, the company may be eligible for an additional reduction in its penalty in the first case.
The Leniency Plus Programme is a significant development in Indian antitrust law. It is expected to make it more difficult for companies to engage in cartels and other anti-competitive practices, and to make it easier for the CCI to detect and prosecute these practices.
Source: ForumIAS
