New Delhi, Insolvency Appellate Tribunal NCLAT on Friday postponed to July 5 the hearing on petitions filed against tech giant Google regarding its Play Store billing policy.
A two-member National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) bench, after a brief hearing on the petitions, directed the matter to be listed after the summer vacations on July 5.
Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation, People Interactive India which operates Shaadi.com and Mebigo Lab which operates Kuku FM have filed a petition before the NCLAT against the Play Store billing policy.
During the proceedings, the counsel appearing on behalf of the app developers requested the bench to pass an order maintaining status quo till the next date of hearing, however, Google did not de-list them from the Play Store due to non-acceptance of the policy terms. Was.
He urged the appellate tribunal to seek an undertaking to this effect from Google.Google's counsel refused to submit an affidavit, however, assuring the NCLAT that it would not do so till the next hearing.
On this, the NCLAT bench, comprising Justice Yogesh Khanna and Justice Nares Salecha, said that if any adverse step is taken, the app developers can approach the appellate tribunal for urgent hearing during the summer holidays.
The petitioners have challenged the order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which had refused to grant any interim relief against the Play Store billing policy and restrain Google from collecting the fees, on March 20, 2024.
On March 20, CCI rejected four petitions filed by Indian app companies against Google's new Play Store billing policy to impose 11 to 26 percent fee on in-app payments.
CCI's decision was challenged by the app companies before NCLAT.Indian-origin app companies had alleged before the CCI that Google's Play Store payment policies were anti-competitive.
However, the CCI had made it clear in its order that nothing said in this order would amount to a final expression of opinion on the merits of the case and the Director General would conduct the investigation without being influenced in any way by the comments made . Here.
“The Commission is of the view that the informants have failed to satisfy the criteria required for grant of interim relief as proposed by the Supreme Court.
The CCI had said in its order, "The informants have not been able to present a prima facie high profile case for which the informants had sought positive direction at the interim stage."
The petitions sought to restrain Google from charging Google for transactions involving paid downloads or in-app purchases on apps offering digital products/services.The order came after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on March 15 ordered a probe against Google for alleged discriminatory practices regarding Play Store pricing policy after finding prima facie violation of competition law.
The CCI had then held that the tech giant's Users Choice Billing (UCB) payment policy was "prima facie" in violation of the Competition Act 2002.
A two-member National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) bench, after a brief hearing on the petitions, directed the matter to be listed after the summer vacations on July 5.
Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation, People Interactive India which operates Shaadi.com and Mebigo Lab which operates Kuku FM have filed a petition before the NCLAT against the Play Store billing policy.
During the proceedings, the counsel appearing on behalf of the app developers requested the bench to pass an order maintaining status quo till the next date of hearing, however, Google did not de-list them from the Play Store due to non-acceptance of the policy terms. Was.
He urged the appellate tribunal to seek an undertaking to this effect from Google.Google's counsel refused to submit an affidavit, however, assuring the NCLAT that it would not do so till the next hearing.
On this, the NCLAT bench, comprising Justice Yogesh Khanna and Justice Nares Salecha, said that if any adverse step is taken, the app developers can approach the appellate tribunal for urgent hearing during the summer holidays.
The petitioners have challenged the order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which had refused to grant any interim relief against the Play Store billing policy and restrain Google from collecting the fees, on March 20, 2024.
On March 20, CCI rejected four petitions filed by Indian app companies against Google's new Play Store billing policy to impose 11 to 26 percent fee on in-app payments.
CCI's decision was challenged by the app companies before NCLAT.Indian-origin app companies had alleged before the CCI that Google's Play Store payment policies were anti-competitive.
However, the CCI had made it clear in its order that nothing said in this order would amount to a final expression of opinion on the merits of the case and the Director General would conduct the investigation without being influenced in any way by the comments made . Here.
“The Commission is of the view that the informants have failed to satisfy the criteria required for grant of interim relief as proposed by the Supreme Court.
The CCI had said in its order, "The informants have not been able to present a prima facie high profile case for which the informants had sought positive direction at the interim stage."
The petitions sought to restrain Google from charging Google for transactions involving paid downloads or in-app purchases on apps offering digital products/services.The order came after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on March 15 ordered a probe against Google for alleged discriminatory practices regarding Play Store pricing policy after finding prima facie violation of competition law.
The CCI had then held that the tech giant's Users Choice Billing (UCB) payment policy was "prima facie" in violation of the Competition Act 2002.
