CCPA issues notices to 13 e-commerce players including Amazon, Flipkart for illegal sale of walkie-talkies

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated the action, and the crackdown focuses on listings lacking proper operating frequency information, licensing details, and Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification.

New Delhi: Amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, the consumer watchdog CCPA has issued notices to 13 e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart for illegal sale of walkie-talkie devices on their platforms.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued 13 notices to leading digital marketplaces against the illegal listing and sale of walkie-talkies on e-commerce platforms.

These platforms are Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, OLX, TradeIndia, Facebook, Indiamart, VardaanMart, Jiomart, Krishnamart, Chimiya, Talk Pro Walie Talkie and MaskMan toys, said a statement from the Consumer Affairs Ministry issued on Friday.

The crackdown focuses on the sale of walkie-talkies without proper frequency disclosure, licensing information, or Equipment Type Approval (ETA), constituting a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

" The product listings for walkie-talkies do not specify whether the device requires a license from the concerned authority for use. The omission of details such as frequency range, licensing obligations under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Use of Low Power, Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2018 and the potential legal consequences of unauthorized use, misleads consumers into believing that the devices are freely operable by the general public, " said the statement.

Earlier, Union Food and Consumer Minister Pralhad Joshi in a social media post said, “The sale of non-compliant wireless devices not only breaches statutory obligations but may also pose significant risks to national security operations”.

These violations contravene multiple legal frameworks, including the Consumer Protection Act, Indian Telegraph Act, and Wireless Telegraphy Act, he said.

The minister said the CCPA will issue formal guidelines under Section 18(2)(l) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, aimed at strengthening compliance and consumer safeguards in digital marketplaces.

Sellers have been directed to adhere strictly to all applicable regulatory standards to uphold consumer rights and prevent unlawful trade practices, he added.

"A preliminary analysis further revealed an alarming volume of such listings across these platforms, including approximately 467 listings on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia, indicating the widespread scale of the issue, " the statement from the Consumer Affairs Ministry said.