Delhi High Court Today (July 1) stayed a Rs 340 crore damages order against Amazon in a trademark case filed by Beverly Hills Polo Club owner Lifestyle Equities. The stay came without Amazon needing to deposit any money.
The Delhi High Court has mandated OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime to implement accessibility features such as audio descriptions, captioning, and Indian Sign Language for films to accommodate visually and hearing-impaired individuals. The ruling aims for inclusivity in upcoming and existing movies, with guidelines from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to follow.
The Supreme Court transferred 24 writ petitions regarding Amazon and Flipkart’s anti-competitive practices to the Karnataka High Court, following a request from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). This consolidation aims to unify ongoing cases related to alleged violations of the Competition Act, 2002, enhancing efficiency and consistency in rulings.
The Supreme Court of India indicated that all pending cases against Amazon and Flipkart for alleged anti-competitive practices should be transferred to the Karnataka High Court. During a hearing, the Court directed no hearings on Amazon’s petitions until January 6 and permitted the Competition Commission of India to amend and add parties to the cases.
The Supreme Court denied the Competition Commission of India’s request to transfer cases involving Amazon and Flipkart to a division bench, emphasizing adherence to procedural rules. Justice Oka highlighted the importance of not providing special treatment to litigants. The cases are set for a hearing on December 17 in the Karnataka High Court.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani Today (Dec 12) urged the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to list the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) plea seeking consolidation of writ petitions filed by e-commerce resellers. The matter, which Venkataramani mentioned before CJI, is expected to be heard on Monday (Dec 16).
Amazon & Flipkart Cases
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has urged the Supreme Court to consolidate 23 lawsuits aimed at obstructing its antitrust investigation into Amazon, Flipkart, Samsung, and Vivo. The probe, initiated in 2020, uncovers alleged violations of antitrust laws, with accusations of preferential treatment. The Supreme Court is set to hear the plea amid ongoing tensions in India’s growing e-commerce sector.
Two individuals, Sourish Bose and Deepanvita Ghosh, are accused of defrauding Amazon of over Rs. 69 lakh by purchasing items, initiating returns, and returning fake products instead of originals. The Karnataka High Court described their actions as “ingenious” and has reserved its decision on their petition to quash the FIR against them.
AMAZON SCAM | The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld a Rs.20,000 fine on Amazon and a retailer for delivering a ‘dirty’ rice bowl instead of a laptop table. The Commission emphasized Amazon’s duty to ensure product quality and dismissed claims of intermediary protection. Amazon’s appeal was dismissed, and it was directed to deliver the correct product to the customer.
