SC blocks further probe into Uber's abuse of market dominance

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered status quo, thereby asking the Director General (Investigation) of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) not to proceed with further investigation into the alleged unfair predatory pricing by the cab hailing app operator Uber.

The bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice to the CCI and directed the hearing of the matter on February 17.

The apex court's order of status quo has come on the appeal by Uber against the Competition Appellate Tribunal's (Compat) December 2016 direction to the CCI DG (Investigation) to investigate the allegations of Uber exploiting its market dominance and resorting to predatory pricing to the disadvantage of other cab operators in the market.

The Compat order came on an appeal by the radio taxi cab operator Meru, which had alleged that Uber was exploiting its dominant position in the market to eliminate others in the city travel business.

Meru had moved the Compat against February 2016 order of the CCI, which found no merit in its complaint.

--IANS

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