The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has received complaints of unfair competition and monopoly practiced by the cellular service providers against certain private cellular service providers The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has registered four cases against cellular service providers alleging violation of Section 3 and 4 of the Competition Act, 2002 as follows: -

(i) Case No. 81/2016 filed by CA Ranjan Sardana against M/s Cellular Operator Association of India, M/s Bharti Airtel Limited. and M/s Idea Cellular Limited.

(ii) Case No. 83/2016 filed by Mr. Kantilal Ambala Puj against Cellular Operation Association of India, Vodafone India Limited, Bharti Airtel Limited, Idea Cellular Limited, Telenor (India) Communication Private Limited, Videocon Telecommunication Limited, Aircel Limited and Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.

(iii) Case No. 95/2016 filed by Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. against Cellular Operators Association of India, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Group PIC, Bharti Airtel Limited, Bharti Hexacom Limited and Idea Cellular Limited.

(iv) Case No.98/2016 filed by Shri C Shanmugam against Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Department of Telecommunication, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and BSNL.

Under the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002, the CCI is mandated, inter-alia, to impose penalties and/or issue cease and desist orders in cases of unethical practices such as anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance.

This was stated by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

Abuse of dominance and anti-competitive conduct prompt multiple CCI investigations into cellular providers, seeking penalties and cessation. The Competition Commission of India has registered four investigations into alleged anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance by private cellular service providers following complaints naming industry associations, multiple mobile operators and, in one instance, regulatory and public telecommunication entities; the CCI is empowered to impose penalties and issue cease and desist orders under the Competition Act, 2002.