Proposed e-commerce policy to be robust, balanced, says Goyal

Goyal, who heads commerce and industry as well as consumer affairs ministries, also said that he welcomes all the feedback on the draft e-commerce rules but comments about inter-departmental issues on the draft rules are unwarranted. 

The minister's comments have come following reports that the Department for Promotion of Internal Industry and Trade (DPI), the Corporate Affairs Ministry, and the Niti Aayog have objected to some provisions of the draft e-commerce rules. 

The report citing an RTI reply has claimed that Niti Aayog has expressed apprehensions that the draft rules may harm ease of doing business. Goyal said that the whole purpose of an inter-ministerial consultation was to get views and comments from different quarters. 

''I do believe that I welcome all the feedback and look forward to a very robust and healthy consultation with all the stakeholders...We are trying to balance everybody's interest and come up with a robust framework in which this (policy) can be implemented in the interest of all Indians,'' Goyal told PTI. 

The very purpose of releasing draft rules is to elicit public opinion, ideas from other departments, from stakeholders, encourage feedback, he said, adding the government has always believed in engaging with all the stakeholders before taking a final decision on any policy. 

Citing examples of data privacy law, national education policy, and jewelry hallmarking norms, he said the government conducts stakeholder's consultation to arrive at a good decision. 

Domestic jewelers are now appreciating the hallmarking norms, which they were opposing earlier tooth and nail, he said. 

''The consumer rules around e-commerce are under public consultation. I warmly welcome feedback from various stakeholders but I have to protect everybody's interest and balance consumers interest, e-commerce interests, retailers interests,'' he said, adding that ''everybody's interest will be taken into consideration and a balanced and a very robust policy will be finalized.'' When asked if there is any move to link all the policies together, he said every department has to protect its stakeholders. 

The DPI under the commerce and industry ministry is also framing a national e-commerce policy. 

''Consumer department has to protect the interest of consumers. Ecommerce policy is a matter for the industry department to focus on because they have to protect the interest of industry and internal trade ...so we have an orderly behavior in the industry and at the same time ensure that internal trade is also protected,'' he said. He said that they are trying to balance everybody's interests and come up with a robust framework in which this policy can be implemented in the interest of all Indians. On June 21, the consumer affairs ministry released draft e-commerce rules under which it banned the fraudulent flash sales and mis-spelling of goods and services on e-commerce platforms. Appointment of chief compliance officer/grievance redressal officer is among other key amendments proposed to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020. The government also proposed the registration of every e-commerce entity which intends to operate in India with the DPI. The proposed amendments also included e-commerce entities requiring to provide information not later than 72 hours of the receipt of an order from a government agency for prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of offenses under any law. According to research firm CUTS International, many consumer organizations have felt that draft e-commerce rules should stick to only consumer-facing issues. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 were first notified in July last year. Their violation attracts penal action under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.