Photo of Ruchi Verma

Associate in the Competition Practice at the Mumbai office of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Ruchi advises on a full range of competition matters, including merger control and abuse of dominance. She can be reached at ruchi.verma@cyrilshroff.com

Introduction

2022 was an eventful year for competition law in India. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) operated optimally approving combinations notified before it in reasonable timelines, conducting significant dawn raids, passing notable orders that made international headlines, and conducting market studies. The anticipated amendments to the Competition Act, 2002 (Act) were discussed ad nauseum in conference rooms and across coffee tables. Notable also is that the CCI has not had quorum for the formal conduct of business since Chairperson, Mr. Ashok Gupta demitted office on 24 October 2022, which has resulted in deals worth billions stuck without clearance.Continue Reading What’s Happening? 2022 Wrap of Competition Law in India

COVID -19 and Competition Law ConcernsIntroduction

The outbreak of the COVID -19 pandemic has disrupted business globally including, in some cases, the disrupters themselves. As companies around the world prepare to respond to the effects of this pandemic on their businesses, they must become aware of the challenges and opportunities that competition law present. Businesses that are expecting significant losses due to reduced revenue may look at cooperation with their competitors as the one way of overcoming these tough times. On the other hand, companies selling essential/scarce products such as medical supplies, may attempt to capitalise on this situation by increasing prices or bundling non-essential products with the essential ones. Whilst coordination between competitors (either by way of collaboration or through concerted practices) or imposition of unfair and/or discriminatory prices or conditions may seem to be an obvious and efficient way to respond to or benefit from the current challenges, companies need to be mindful of the fact that the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002 (the Competition Act) continue to apply even during the tough times, perhaps even more so.
Continue Reading COVID -19 and Competition Law Concerns

Mahindra Judgment re Appointment of Judicial Member

In a recent judgement, the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi (Delhi HC) clarified that the absence of a judicial member did not preclude the Competition Commission of India (CCI) from performing its adjudicatory function until such time the judicial member was appointed by the Central Government.

On 17 July 2018, the Delhi HC passed this judgement in respect of a writ petition filed before it by Cadd Systems and Services Private Limited (Petitioner). The petition challenged two orders of the CCI for contravention of the law laid down by a division bench of Delhi HC in Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. & Ors. v. Competition Commission of India & Anr. (W.P. (C) 11467/2018 & connected matters) (Mahindra Judgment).
Continue Reading Delhi High Court Clarifies the Scope of Directions Passed in Mahindra Judgment Re Appointment of Judicial Member

The Competition Commission of India (CCI), in its order dated 11 July 2018[1], has awarded a 100 per cent reduction in penalty to leniency applicants Globecast India Private Limited (GI) and Globecast Asia Private Limited (GA) (collectively referred to as Globecast), along with their respective responsible office-bearers. It has also awarded a 30 per cent reduction to Essel Shyam Communication Limited (now Planetcast Media Services Limited) (ESCL) along with their responsible officer bearers, in a cartel case in the broadcasting services industry.

This is the latest and the fourth such order of the CCI granting reduction of penalty to applicant(s) under Section 46 of the Competition Act, 2002 (Act) and the Competition Commission of India (Lesser Penalty) Regulations, 2009 (Leniency Regulations).Continue Reading Fourth Order in Less than Two Years: The CCI’s Leniency Regime Gathers Momentum