The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to thirteen leading e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, and OLX, over the unlicensed and misleading sale of walkie-talkies and other wireless communication devices.
These listings were discovered to be missing important disclosures like frequency range, licensing, and Equipment Type Approval (ETA) from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing, in open contravention of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Comprehensive Guide of Law and Procedure for Filing of Income Tax Appeals, Click Here
For sensitizing online platforms, a stakeholder consultation meeting was organized on 3 May 2025, which was chaired by Secretary of Department of Consumer Affairs, Smt. Nidhi Khare. Prominent e-commerce and social media platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, IndiaMart, and Meta were present. They were encouraged to actively watch and delist any listings that do not adhere to the relevant laws.
Also read: Case Digest on GST Notices via Common Portal: Important Rulings by Different High Courts
According to the consumer authority, the devices were being sold without clarifying whether a license was necessary under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, or the 2018 rules on license-exempt low-power radio frequency devices. The absence of this critical information risks misleading consumers into believing the products are freely usable, which may expose them to legal consequences.
Under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, marketplace entities are mandated to disclose accurate and comprehensive information to help consumers make informed decisions. However, the CCPA’s preliminary investigation revealed hundreds of non-compliant listings, approximately 467 on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia pointing to systemic lapses in compliance and platform monitoring.
The Authority has sought detailed information from these platforms, including seller credentials, listing IDs, licensing disclosures, and ETA certifications, along with sales data from January 2023 onwards.
As a response to the mass non-compliance, the CCPA will issue draft guidelines called “Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Sale and Use of Licensed Frequency Range Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus Including Walkie-Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025”. These will be promulgated under Section 18(2)(l) of the Consumer Protection Act and will emphasize due diligence prior to listing such products, checking seller certifications, having automated monitoring and take-down mechanisms in place, and promoting consumer awareness through compulsory disclosures.
The CCPA in the past has made similar interventions such as the removal of over 13,000 listings of unsafe motor vehicle components, including car seat belt alarm stopper clips, following a communication from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Also read: Govt imposes Anti-Dumping Duty on Sodium Citrate and Glufosinate and its salt from Two Countries
Support our journalism by subscribing to Taxscan premium. Follow us on Telegram for quick updates
