Parl Panel Flags Repeat Violations By Corporate Entities, Seeks MSME Protection From CCI

A parliamentary panel on subordinate legislation has asked for the Competition Commission of India's regulatory framework to be reviewed periodically, and has pushed for greater clarity in how the regulator calculates penalties. The panel also wants CCI to do more to protect small businesses and startups from unfair practices, according to a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The recommendations form part of the committee's 257th report, which looked at four competition regulations and guidelines that were notified in 2024. These cover settlement, commitment, determination of turnover and monetary penalty guidelines.

According to the panel, competition laws need to evolve alongside fast-changing digital markets so that India's market stays competitive, fair and in step with global norms. It has asked CCI to spell out, within its orders, the exact methodology used to arrive at penalty amounts.

Push For Stronger MSME Protection

The committee, headed by MP Milind Murli Deora, stressed that small businesses need stronger safeguards. "CCI must provide adequate protection to them and ensure that the laws must be enforced with much greater vigour to ensure that the least advantaged are not further disadvantaged by unfair or anti-competitive conduct," the panel said.

Members of the committee also raised questions about how CCI handles companies, particularly large technology firms, that face repeated antitrust violations. The panel warned that such repeat offences could end up being treated by companies as just another business expense rather than a genuine deterrent, and called for tougher enforcement of penalty guidelines in such cases.

Questions Over Android Smart TV Settlement

The panel sought details on how CCI arrived at the ₹20.24 crore settlement figure in the Android Smart TV case. In its response, CCI said it has been showing restraint in sectors that already have their own regulators. The panel, in turn, suggested that CCI explore formal cooperation mechanisms with these sectoral regulators, including signing Memoranda of Understanding where suitable, to help with information sharing and policy coordination.

CCI also told the panel that it has largely avoided initiating cases on its own in recent years, unlike its early years when awareness of competition law was lower. The regulator noted a potential conflict in both building a case against a party and then adjudicating that same case.

CCI Chairperson Ravneet Kaur told the panel that the regulator is not conducting any joint investigation with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation regarding alleged abuse of dominant position in the aviation sector. This relates to a complaint against IndiGo Airlines over its conduct during flight disruptions in December 2025. Kaur said the matter has been referred to the Director General for investigation and would be taken forward depending on cooperation from the parties involved.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs told the panel that only one commitment case, related to online gaming, remains pending due to the current ban on online gaming.

As of March 31, 2026, CCI had imposed total penalties worth ₹20,378.65 crore, of which ₹18,299.78 crore has been stayed or quashed by appellate courts. Of the remaining realisable amount of ₹2,078.87 crore, CCI has recovered ₹2,039.36 crore, or over 98%.

CCI also told the panel that it has received 1,375 antitrust cases so far, of which 1,237 have been resolved.