Delhi HC Asks CCI To Take Up ADIF's Complaints Against Google By April 26

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to take up the three applications filed by the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) against Google's user choice billing system (UCB) before April 26. The new billing system will go into effect on April 26. 

The move is being seen as a relief to digital start-ups in the country. 

ADIF had earlier sought directions from the High Court to the competition regulator to invoke the "Doctrine of Necessity" to consider three applications. ADIF represents startups like Paytm, Matrimony, MapmyIndia and TrulyMadly. 

ADIF had alleged that the tech giant was engaging in anti-competitive conduct by implementing the UCB policy. It added that the company was taking advantage of CCI lacking quorum to look into the industry body's complaints against the tech giant.

The single-judge bench, however, did not pass any stay on the implementation of UCB from April 26. 

"There is no impediment, legal or otherwise, in directing the CCI to take up the applications under section 42 of the Act as filed by the petitioner for hearing and considering the same in accordance with the law on or before April 26, 2023," the order said, as reported by BusinessLine (BL).

"It is made clear that observations made herein are only to the extent of deciding the present list before this court and shall not tantamount to any expression on the merits of the case and the same is therefore without prejudice to the rights and contentions of all parties to be taken at the appropriate proceeding," it added. 

On October 25, CCI imposed a penalty of Rs 936 crore on Google for its anti-competitive conduct in the Google Play Store policies. After the judgement, Google announced its intent to roll out UCB from April 26 this year.