Question : E COMMERCE

(a) whether the Government has made any assessment about the size and growth of e-commerce sector in the country and its impact on traditional business;

(b) if so, the details and the outcome thereof along with the corrective measures taken thereon indicating the number of companies involved the said business;

(c) whether the Government has taken note of the complaints regarding cheating by e-commerce companies including sale of stolen and fake goods, if so, the details thereof and the corrective action taken/being taken in this regard;

(d) whether the said companies are able to defy the law due to the complexities involved in e-commerce, if so, the details thereof and the changes proposed to be made to check such instances indicating the services/assistance proposed to be provided to the consumers there under; and

(e) the regulatory mechanism set up or proposed to be set up to check cheating/ fraud by online companies?

THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) & (b) : No such official assessment has been made of the e- Commerce sector in the country.

(c) : There have been formal complaints submitted to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Ministry of Corporate Affairs against unfair trade practices by e-commerce companies on which investigation has been initiated.

(d) : At present there is no single set of law/regulations to govern e- commerce sector. Therefore, just like any other business, these transactions are also covered by a chain of business regulations which include the Companies Act, 1956, Indian Competition Act, Income Tax Act, 1961/ Central Excise Act/ Central Sales Tax Act, Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act, 2000, Cyber Security Laws, Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), FDI policy and Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

(e) : Government has initiated steps for incorporating sufficient provisions for protection of consumers of online shopping/e- commerce under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.