The Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire a multifaceted approach including nudging entities to refrain from anti-competitive practices and to ensure there is no violation of competition law and is highly motivated in responding to the challenges due to COVID-19. Due to COVID-19 competition regulators are acknowledging the new challenges and CCI chairperson Ashok Kumar Gupta highlighting that competition law is quite flexible and forward-looking.
CCI works to prevent unfair business ways in the market place and has powers, including to penalize as well as direct entities to cease and desist from such practices.
In a recent e-mail interview, Gupta said the regulator is adopting a multi-pronged approach to ensure that the law is not infringed.
“Needless to mention, CCI also supplements and complements such enforcement actions through advocacy initiatives by nudging the parties to desist from adopting and following anti-competitive practices and policies,” he said.
In the wake of COVID-19, the watchdog has taken a series of administrative and regulatory steps. Among other measures, arrangements were made for parties concerned to electronically file anti-trust cases as well as combination notices. Also, matters for internal consideration were dealt with through video conferencing.
