



Flipkart, Meta penalised for misleading walkie-talkie listings
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has penalised Flipkart and Meta Platforms with a fine of ₹10 lakh each for allowing the sale and promotion of walkie-talkie devices on their platforms without mandatory regulatory disclosures and approvals, widening its crackdown on e-commerce marketplaces for violating consumer protection rules.
The penalties follow similar action against Meesho, which was fined ₹10 lakh on 4 December for unauthorised walkie-talkie listings. Earlier, the CCPA had imposed penalties of ₹1 lakh each on Reliance JioMart, Talk Pro (Iconet Services Pvt.
Ltd), The MaskMan Toys and Chimiya for selling such devices without required clearances. In separate orders, reviewed by Mint, the authority found that Flipkart and Facebook Marketplace, operated by Meta, facilitated listings of walkie-talkies without adequately informing consumers about licensing requirements under the Indian Telegraph Act, spectrum and frequency restrictions, and the need for mandatory equipment type approval (ETA) from the wireless planning and coordination (WPC) wing of the department of telecommunications.
The order against Meta Platforms was issued on 1 January, while Flipkart received its order on 14 January. Queries sent to the consumer affairs ministry and the companies remained unanswered at the time of publishing. In Flipkart’s case, the authority observed that the platform allowed multiple listings of walkie-talkies that either lacked ETA certification details or failed to disclose whether the devices required a licence for lawful use in India.
Flipkart has sold a total of 108,206 units through its 8,708 registered sellers to date, according to the order. The authority
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