CCI rejects allegations against state government information departments

NEW DELHI: Competition Commission has rejected a complaint of alleged unfair business practices made against four entities, including information departments of three state governments.

It was alleged that these entities indulged in anti-competitive ways by withholding publication of advertisements and communications in certain newspapers in their respective states.

The complaint was filed against Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh's Departments of Information and Public Relations and West Bengal's Department of Information and Cultural Affairs.

The fair trade regulator decided to reject the complaint after finding that prima-facie there was no violation of competition norms.

After taking into consideration the data available in the public domain, Competition Commission of India ( CCI) said the Opposite Parties (OPs) involved are not dominant in their respective markets.

"The complainant has also not produced any cogent material to show the dominance of OPs in their respective relevant market. Thus, prima facie, OPs do not appear to be in a dominant position in their respective relevant market," CCI said in a recent order.

According to the complainant, one Ranbir Singh, these departments adopted a practice of withholding publication of advertisements and communications from those newspapers and publishing houses that published articles critical of government that were in power in their respective states.

Such a practice, which amounted to abuse of their dominant position, had affected some publishing houses, according to the complainant.