This week, CCI will hear charges related to Google’s contentious payment policy

The three-member CCI panel, led by chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta, is anticipated to hear the case later this week. By September, the final judgment is anticipated to be issued.

This week, a private hearing by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on charges related to Google’s contentious payment practices for Play Store developers will get underway. 

The three-member CCI panel, led by chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta, is anticipated to hear the case later this week.

By September, the definitive order is anticipated to be released. 

The tech giant previously declared that it would require all apps selling digital products and services to use the Play Store’s billing system and to pay a 30% commission for in-app purchases starting in 2020. 

Existing apps must also replace any alternate in-app pricing methods they now employ with the Play Store’s system. On October 31, the proposed payment policy is expected to be released. 

Despite the fact that the proceedings are beginning this month, the commission anticipates that the matter will be resolved in seven to ten days.

If the antitrust authority determines that Google’s policy violates the spirit of competition, it may be penalised. 

A person with knowledge of the situation was described in the report as saying that the panel will analyse the pertinent findings of the case, which stated that Google preferred its own service, Google Pay, over its rivals. 

The panel will additionally examine whether the planned payments strategy complies with competition rules.

Earlier in March, the director general (DG) office that looks at competition investigation, had submitted its initial report to the CCI. Hence, the panel will also hear Google’s comments on the DG report that found the policy unfair and discriminatory.

Equal opportunities will be given to Google’s attorneys and executives to offer their arguments and refute the accusations. 

According to a Google spokeswoman quoted in the article, “We recently introduced a trial to allow a small number of participating developers to offer a second billing option alongside to Google Play’s billing system, starting with Spotify.” 

The representative noted that Google will keep talking with the CCI and show how its actions help Indian customers and developers. 

Since the policy’s announcement, the Indian startup ecosystem has been against it, claiming that it will harm firms. Even the ecosystem has discussed the need for an Indian app store to counter Apple and Google’s hegemony.