A PIL had been filed in the Delhi HC seeking to direct the Government to ensure that products sold on e-commerce websites display the name of the manufacturing country. The PIL also seeks a direction to ensure that e-commerce entities publish/display the ‘Made in India’ option separately and conspicuously, Bar & Bench reports.
Consequently, the Delhi High Court has today issued a notice to the government of India and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal to seek their response. The PIL has been filed by Amit Shukla on the basis of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules of 2011.
As of now, the Legal Metrology Rules mandates manufacturers to mention origin on their products but the same does not apply to the e-commerce portals which display those products.
The petition states, “Most Indians want to buy Indian products now…(one) should know what he is buying from e-commerce websites”.
It can be recalled that the Central government had recently notified that all sellers on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) shall also mandatorily enter their country of origin while registering new products for sale on the platform.
The petition further argues that “… heavy export is the backbone of the Republic of China and in the event, India is self-reliant, the same would strengthen the defence services in-turn boosting the strength of the nation” and hence seeks the High Court
Petition filed in Delhi High Court to direct the central government to ensure compliance of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules by the e-commerce websites too.
Bar and Bench reports that the matter will be heard next on July 22.
