Start-ups prepare to contest Competition Commission of India's Decision Denying Interim Relief in Google Play Store Payment Policy Dispute.
Sources indicate that appeals are expected to be lodged with the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal within the coming days, news platform The Hindu Businessline reported.
Last Wednesday, the Commission declined the start-up's plea for full restraint on Google's fee collection under the updated payments policy.
This ruling follows the Competition Commission's decision on March 15 to investigate Google for alleged excessive pricing on the Play Store. The CCI found Google's Users Choice Billing (UCB) payments policy potentially violating the Competition Act 2002.
Additionally, Shaadi.com, KukuFM, and the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) along with the Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation (IDMIF), requested the Commission to prevent Google from charging fees for transactions involving paid downloads or in-app purchases of digital products/services.
Start-ups accused Google Play Store of discriminatory payment policies and high commissions of up to 26 per cent. Some start-ups appealed to the Supreme Court against the Madras High Court's decision to refer them to the CCI for recourse.
They argued that Google violated a CCI order from October 25, 2022, which instructed Google not to restrict app developers from using third-party payment services. The alleged policies burdened app developers, affecting profitability and competitiveness.
Google temporarily reinstated certain removed apps on March 5 amidst ongoing disputes over anti-competitive behavior in the Android ecosystem and Google Play Store.
