Fairtrade regulator Competition Commission has closed a complaint alleging unfair business practices by the Directorate of State Lotteries, West Bengal, and West Bengal Lottery Stockists Syndicate.
The complainant had alleged that an agreement between the Directorate of State Lotteries West Bengal Lottery Stockists Syndicate allowed the latter to purchase paper lotteries at credit and discount, to the exclusion of the general public and stockists, among others.
West Bengal Lottery Stockists Syndicate was free to sell the paper lotteries at face value, according to the complaint.
Citing other unfair business practices, the complainant also alleged that West Bengal Lottery Stockists Syndicate is the one and only company chosen since 2014 without inviting any public tender and such agreement is being extended from time to time.
The Directorate of State Lotteries organizes, promotes, distributes, and conducts lotteries on behalf of the West Bengal government while West Bengal Lottery Stockists Syndicate carries out distribution, marketing, sale, and promotion of paper lotteries.
The counsel appearing on behalf of Directorate of State Lotteries assured the CCI that the tendering process for selecting distributors of State Lotteries in West Bengal would be initiated soon.
The commission headed by a Chairperson, Ashok Kumar Gupta and the members, Sangeeta Verma and Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi directed to file a status report within one week of the completion of the tendering process.
“Since no case of contravention of the provisions of the Competition Act has been made out, the case has been closed by CCI,” the order said
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