Regulatory authority in e-comm needed for protecting small players: CAIT

The e-commerce industry needs regulation to provide a level-playing field for small businesses, traders' body CAIT said on Tuesday.

Confederation of All India Traders Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that the "same set of 5-6 companies" are top sellers on prominent e-commerce platforms which leaves no scope for small businesses to grow.

"There has to be a regulatory authority...like SEBI for share market, and for telecom industry...to regulate and monitor e-commerce and we are going to request the government (for the same)," he said.

Speaking at a Meesho event for MSMEs, he also said that the government is likely to roll out a robust e-commerce policy against unethical business practices and foreign direct investment (FDI) violations by the end of the month.

The proposed national e-commerce policy of 2019 by the commerce and industry ministry is said to be in the final stages, with the e-commerce policy aiming to prepare strategies for inclusive and harmonious growth of the e-commerce sector through a streamlined regulatory framework for ease of doing business, adoption of modern technologies, integration of supply chains and enhancing exports through the medium.

"It is in the domain of the government to announce this, but I believe that by the end of the month, we will be having a robust ecommerce policy and rules," he said.

The traders' body has time and again alleged that foreign online retailers violate norms of FDI in commerce and the government should take action against those indulging in malpractices such as deep discounting and predatory pricing.