CCI probe order on Amazon, Flipkart: SC transfers all pending cases to Karnataka HC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday transferred to Karnataka High Court petitions of Amazon and Flipkart, challenging a Competition Commission of India order for a probe into the e-commerce giants for alleged malpractices.
A bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said if pleadings in some of the transferred petitions were not completed, the judge seized of the matter would grant reasonable time to complete the pleadings.
"It will be appropriate if all the petitions which are the subject matter of this transfer petition are transferred for hearing to the High Court of Karnataka," the bench said.
During the hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani informed the apex court that, after filing of the present petition by fair trade regulator the Competition Commission of India (CCI), five pleas had been filed in different high courts.
The top court directed that these petitions be transferred to the High Court of Karnataka.
"If similar petitions are hereafter instituted in any other high court, the same shall be also covered by this order," the bench said.
The apex court had earlier issued a notice on the plea filed by the CCI, which sought the transfer of the petitions filed by the e-commerce giants from the high courts to the top court or Delhi High Court.
In its plea before the top court, the CCI sought directions to transfer either to the Supreme Court or Delhi High Court the cases pending before the high courts of Allahabad, Madras, Telangana, Punjab and Haryana, Delhi, and Karnataka.
The fair trade regulator ordered the probe into Flipkart and Amazon following allegations of malpractices, including deep discounting and tie-ups with preferred sellers on their platforms.
The CCI's probe order came after a complaint by the Delhi Vyapar Mahasang, whose members comprise many traders of smartphones and related accessories.
Amazon and Flipkart filed separate petitions in various high courts, challenging the CCI's probe order.
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RSS-BJP's main objective is to finish off Constitution: Rahul Gandhi
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the RSS-BJP on Sunday, alleging their main objective is to finish off the Constitution because they don't want that everyone in India is considered an equal.
Gandhi made the remarks before flagging off the 'Run For Ambedkar, Run For Constitution' marathon here, ahead of Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14.
"Ambedkar ji's main message was that of the Constitution. Without the Constitution, what we call India would not have been there. Today, the people who are of the mindset of RSS-BJP want to finish off the Constitution. Whatever they say, their main objective is to erase the Constitution because they don't want that everyone in India is considered an equal," Gandhi said addressing the gathering before the start of the marathon from Mandi House.
"Whatever they (RSS-BJP) do, they even bow before Ambedkar ji's statue, but their objective is to finish off the Constitution. Our objective is to protect the Constitution and strengthen the Constitution," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
"We want that the thought of the Constitution and its protection reaches every corner of the country and that is why we have organised this 'Run for Ambedkar, Run for Constitution'," Gandhi, dressed in a blue T-shirt, said.
Later, in a Facebook post, Gandhi said he flagged off the marathon organised by the Congress' SC Department from Mandi House.
"This run serves as a demonstration of our commitment to the ideals of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and to the Constitution of India," Gandhi said.
"Today, when constitutional values are under assault, we must unite and fight against every injustice and act of discrimination with the same resolve as Babasaheb. Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan, Jai Hind," he said in his post in Hindi.
The SC and OBC departments of the AICC celebrated the birth anniversary of Jyotiba Rao Phule with an event at Indira Bhawan in Lucknow on Saturday.
Ambedkar Jayanti, celebrated annually on April 14, marks the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and a champion of social equality.
Former Indian cricket team captain and Telangana minister Mohammad Azharuddin also participated in the event to flag off the marathon.
Lauding the marathon initiative by the Congress, Azharuddin said, "I would like this campaign to happen all over India because 'Run for Ambedkar, Run for Constitution' is a very good initiative, it should be maintained and promoted further."
He called for unity in the country, asserting that the country can only progress with unity.
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