PIL in Delhi HC seeks direction to e-commerce websites to display MRP, country of origin

New Delhi: A PIL has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to e-commerce websites to prominently display names of manufacturer, country of origin and MRP of products sold on their platforms.

The petition, which is likely to come up for hearing next week, claimed that the consumers are facing great difficulty due to such details not being mentioned on e-commerce platforms.

Petitioner Ajay Kumar Singh, a resident of Ghaziabad, said he regularly shops from e-commerce websites. He said he has done due research and found that the requirements mandated under the Consumer Protection (Ecommerce) Rules, 2020 and Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 are not complied with.

"Economy of the entire nation would suffer in the event the e-commerce websites continue not to mention the MRP, seller details, manufacturing country/country of origin of products on e-commerce websites. Since the MRP of the product is not displayed the customers are forced to buy the product at a higher cost fixed by the manufacturers."

"Important rights of consumers are also being violated as they are not made aware of the seller at the time of purchase," the plea said.

The petition, filed through advocate Rajesh K Pandit, claimed that a large number of people are being affected due to such information not being provided by e-commerce websites.

It sought a direction to the Centre, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Fashnear Technologies Pvt Ltd, owner of e-commerce portal Meesho, to ensure that mandatory declarations of products offered for sale are displayed on websites and Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and Consumer Protection Act, 2019 complied with.

Besides, the petition has arrayed as parties Sociofy Enterprise Pvt Ltd and O (1) India Pvt Ltd, owners of e-commerce websites Glowroad and Shop101.