India’s antitrust body has requested the Supreme Court to hear legal challenges to its investigation of Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart platforms.
It says these challenges, filed by Samsung, Vivo, and other parties in Indian high courts, aim to derail the probe.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) filed the request on December 3, asking the court to hear 23 cases tied to Amazon and Flipkart. The commission seeks to expedite a decision on the investigation, which involves alleged violations of India’s antitrust laws.
In August, the CCI’s investigation unit reported that Amazon and Flipkart favored selected sellers on their platforms. It also found that smartphone makers, including Samsung and Vivo, collaborated with the e-commerce companies to launch products exclusively online, violating competition rules.
Since then, nearly two dozen lawsuits have been filed across five Indian high courts by vendors on the platforms, as well as by Samsung and Vivo. The commission has argued that allowing these cases would “interfere with the flexibility” of its investigation.
Amazon and Flipkart have faced long-standing criticism from smaller retailers over alleged unfair practices, including offering deep discounts and preferential treatment. Both companies have denied any wrongdoing.
