DEA raises questions over e-commerce guidelines

The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has raised questions over implementation of e-commerce guidelines, arguing that it may not be possible to stop online firms from influencing product prices.

The issue was discussed in a recent meeting of a committee on e-commerce headed by the NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. It held its first meeting on September 5 to deliberate on issues related with the sector.

During the meeting, DEA representative suggested that e-commerce players store goods of vendors in their godowns and hence they may influence the prices of the products by giving discounts and commissions to the buyers, sources said.