The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has invited public comment on the Report of the Committee on Digital Competition Law (CDCL) and the accompanying draft bill of a Digital Competition Law.
Established in response to concerns regarding anti-competitive practices by major tech companies, the CDCL was formed under the chairmanship of the MCA secretary. Their mandate was to assess the necessity of a separate law to govern competition in digital markets.
The committee’s report is now open for public scrutiny. According to the committee, the move emphasises the need for an ex-ante regulatory mechanism tailored to the distinct dynamics of digital markets. The proposal suggests supplementing the existing ex-post framework under the Competition Act, 2002, with predetermined rules to regulate the conduct of large digital enterprises.
Additionally, the report underscores the importance of ensuring that such regulations do not stifle innovation or burden smaller enterprises with excessive compliance requirements. Strengthening the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) technical capabilities and fostering inter-regulatory consultations are among the recommendations put forward. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to submit their comments on the MCA website.
