The report was sent to the Centre on May 15, the last day to submit comments on the bill. (Representative image)
IAMAI is a key industry body that represents numerous digital entities, including big tech firms. The body made a submission on the subject, arguing that the proposed regulations stifle venture investments in technology startups.
Experts want extension on consultations
They argued for further deadline extension, suggesting the consultations should only begin after a new government is formed in July. Their suggestion is a reference to the fact that India is undergoing an extensive phase-wise process to elect the 18th Lok Sabha. The results of the election will be out on June 4.
What is the Digital Competition Bill
The bill, proposed in March, seeks to further regulate large digital enterprises, including news aggregators, as part of efforts to ensure a level-playing field and fair competition in the digital space.
The bill proposes ex-ante competition regulations for big tech players such as Amazon and Meta. The draft bill also imposes several obligations on Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs) in “core digital services (CDS)” to operate in a fair manner with end users and business users. CDS will cover online intermediation services, including news aggregators.
The bill is based on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) of the European Union (EU), which became law in March this year after a four-year-long consultation process.
The Centre formed the committee to draft the report in February last year.
First Published: May 16 2024 | 11:21 AM IST