The Prime Minister’s Office will weigh on consultation regarding proposed amendments to the e-commerce rules to build consensus among various government arms. The consumer affairs ministry is having consultation with various stakeholders regarding proposed amendments, a draft of which the ministry had released in June, an official said, requesting anonymity.
However, top industry bodies representing the Tatas, Amazon, Flipkart and others have opposed some of the proposed clauses, while key provisions have also not found favour with the finance as well as corporate affairs ministries, and the government’s public policy think tank, Niti Aayog.
Further, Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar has said previously that the proposed amendments send out a message of unpredictability in policymaking, while the finance ministry had expressed concern that they could adversely impact the ecommerce and allied sectors. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has said that the guidelines should not impinge on competition issues.
In this regard, a spokesperson for the consumer affairs ministry has said, “it has been known to all for a long time that wide-ranging consultations are ongoing at various levels on the subject in question. Such things are always a work in progress. The best feasible and appropriate decisions, in the interest of all, would be taken in due course. All concerned would be informed accordingly as and when required.”
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