Digital Competition Bill: IT Ministry to meet industry stakeholders to discuss concerns

New Delhi : As the new government takes charge, the IT Ministry has called industry players and key stakeholders to discuss their concerns and suggestions regarding the Digital Competition Bill that aims to tackle the monopoly of Big Tech firms.

MeitY is likely to hold the first meeting on June 13 and a follow-up discussion on June 18 under the chairmanship of Secretary, MeitY, as the industry stakeholders have sent several representations on the Bill to the IT Ministry.

The meeting is likely to be attended by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), along with officials from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), according to sources.

Introduced by the MCA in February this year to address anti-competitive practices by Big Tech firms, the Digital Competition Bill has received several recommendations from top industry bodies and other stakeholders.

The IT industry's apex body Nasscom has said it is important to strengthen the existing regulatory framework, like the CCI and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), before enacting one more legislation.

Meanwhile, a group of IAMAI members voiced their dissent to the industry body's submission of the draft Digital Competition Bill.

In a letter to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, four digital companies including Bharat Matrimony, Match Group, ShareChat, and Hoichoi expressed a divergent view from the submission made by IAMAI.