In the works: National e-commerce policy to script arm’s-length rulebook

What is the News?

Government is preparing a revised and perhaps a more lenient Draft National E-commerce Policy.

What will be the purpose of the upcoming Draft National E-commerce Policy?

Aim: To regulate India’s e-commerce sector to make marketplaces more accountable and provide a level playing field for traditional offline traders.

Coverage: The policy will be applicable to all digital and electronic platforms engaged in buying and selling of goods and services, including television shopping channels, web pages and social media.

What are the key provisions of the upcoming Draft National E-commerce Policy?

Firstly, E-commerce companies will have to appoint officers to ensure compliance with domestic laws and address all complaints in a fair and a time-bound manner.

Secondly, No marketplace can have any control over the products sold on the platform. Also, such firms cannot directly or indirectly sell their products to vendors registered on their platform. They also cannot mandate a vendor to sell products exclusively on their platform.

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Source: This post is based on the article ‘In the works: National e-commerce policy to script arm’s-length rulebook’ published in Business Standard on 18^th January 2022.