Traders demand rollout of robust e-com policy, formation of regulator

Referring to observations of Parliamentary Committee on Finance, traders have demanded the government to immediate roll out a robust and strong e-commerce policy, formation of a regulatory authority

Referring to the observations of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that e-commerce companies are adopting anti-competitive practices, the Confederation of All India Traders has demanded the government to immediate roll out a robust and strong e-commerce policy, formation of a regulatory authority for e-commerce and immediate release of e-commerce rules under Consumer Protection Act.

If well codified rules are not enforced in India for e-commerce, the foreign e-tailers will emerge as second edition of East India Company posing a major threat to trade & commerce activities being conducted by crores of small traders in the Country, said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal while addressing a press conference on Friday.

Khandelwal joined by Kailash Lakhyani, Chairman, All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) and Sridhar, President, South India Organised Retailers Association (ORA) said that e-commerce trade in India is like an orphan or unwanted child since even being one of the important vertical of retail trade which is fast growing is devoid of any rules & regulations giving ample advantage to foreign e portals to make the e-commerce landscape as an open playground for their game of valuation and not doing the trade.

Calling it enough, the trade leaders declared to form a wider forum of national organisations of different products for impressing upon the government to immediately roll out the long pending e-commerce policy and Consumer Protection Rules pertaining to e-commerce.

"It is not a secret now that the foreign e-tailers entered India with a single vision of earning for themselves and vested interests of driving a silent agenda to control & dominate both e-commerce & retail trade of India even at the cost of violation of rules and the policy. A varied warfare of sabotaging the backbone of the most populous countries of the world is the real mandate of these companies," they said.

The trade leaders said that unruly e-commerce activities by foreign e-commerce companies have greatly destroyed more than 40 verticals of retail trade and the worst among them is mobile trade. Over 50,000 mobile retail stores have shut down over a period of last few years and many more are on verge of shutting due to non-availability of stocks in the retail, due to situations emerging out of the unethical collusive activities of the foreign e-commerce players and brand owing companies.

Khandelwal and other trade leaders released a 6-point charter on e-commerce which demand the government to immediate roll out a robust & strong e-commerce policy, formation of a regulatory authority for e-commerce, immediate release of e-commerce rules under Consumer Protection Act, issuance of a new Press Note in place of Press Note 2 of 2018 of FDI Retail Policy, simplification & rationalisation of GST taxation system and rolling out of National Retail Trade Policy.

The CAIT in association with thousands of trade associations across the country has decided to continue with its strong aggressive campaign all over the country against high handedness of foreign e-commerce companies and will not sit idle till the government takes desired action.

--IANS

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