If any information is shared in the media… CCI alerted the staff, citing a 60-year-old rule

If any information is shared in the media... CCI alerted the staff, citing a 60-year-old rule


New Delhi:

India’s antitrust watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) has warned its staff not to share any information with the media, citing a 60-year-old rule. According to a report by news agency Reuters, CCI said in an internal memo issued on August 20, “It has been observed that some information related to cases has been published in the media recently. These also include information about some cases which were being reviewed. Staff are not authorized to share such information. CCI has taken this very seriously.”

The internal staff memo also states that non-compliance with the rules can lead to disciplinary action. These rules also apply to officials who have left CCI.

The memo cites a 1964 government rule. It says, “No government employee shall share any official document or any part thereof or information directly or indirectly except under general or special order.”

News agency Reuters had contacted CCI regarding the internal memo. However, CCI Chairperson Ravneet Kaur did not respond to the agency’s questions on the memo.

According to the report, CCI is investigating high-profile companies. This includes reviewing deals involving companies like Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart, Reliance, Walt Disney and liquor manufacturer Pernod Ricard.

Reuters reported in its report released on Tuesday that CCI had warned about the Disney and Reliance Media merger causing harm to competitors. According to the report, CCI reached an initial assessment that the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance and Walt Disney Media in India would harm competitors. The news agency had given this information quoting four sources.

Earlier this month, the CCI also took the unusual step of privately withdrawing two reports that detailed alleged violations of competition law by iPhone maker Apple.


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