JioMart, Flipkart Among Ecommerce Players Told To Halt Illegal Walkie-Talkie Sales

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) today issued 13 notices to a host of ecommerce marketplaces, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, OLX, TradeIndia, Facebook and IndiaMART, among others, against the listing and sale of walkie-talkies on these platforms without proper frequency disclosure, licensing information or equipment type approval (ETA).

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said in an X post, “The sale of non-compliant wireless devices not only breaches statutory obligations but may also pose significant risks to national security operations.”

According to the ministry of consumer affairs, walkie-talkies are being sold on ecommerce platforms without mandatory and clear disclosures regarding the requirement of a wireless operating licence or compliance with applicable laws.

A preliminary analysis further revealed an alarming volume of such listings across these platforms, including approximately 467 listings on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia.

The CCPA has also sought detailed information from these platforms, including seller details, product listings and frequency specifications, among others.

“The product listings for walkie-talkies do not specify whether the device requires a licence from the concerned authority for use,” the CCPA said.

“The omission of details such as frequency range, licensing obligations under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Use of Low Power, Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2018 and the potential legal consequences of unauthorized use, misleads consumers into believing that the devices are freely operable by the general public,” the ministry said.

Furthermore, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 require marketplace e-commerce entities to provide clear and accessible information that enables consumers to make informed decisions at the pre-purchase stage

In view of the widespread non-compliance, the CCPA will issue specific guidelines under Section 18(2)(l) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. 

The Draft Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Sale and Use of Licensed Frequency Range Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus will soon be placed on the website of the Department of Consumer Affairs for public feedback.

The draft guidelines aim to ensure due diligence by platforms before listing such products and mandate verification of seller credentials and certification. They will also introduce automated monitoring and takedown mechanisms for unauthorised listings, promote consumer awareness through proper disclosures, and enforce penalties for non-compliance. 

The CCPA has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Telecommunications seeking their inputs on these guidelines.

The walkie-talkie crackdown is the latest in a series of enforcement actions by the CCPA, which has been increasingly active in monitoring ecommerce platforms across various sectors.

In January 2025, the consumer watchdog issued notices to cab aggregators Ola and Uber over allegations of differential pricing for Android and Apple devices. Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called this practice an “unfair trade practice” and a “blatant disregard” for consumers’ right to transparency. 

Both companies denied the allegations, with Uber stating, “We do not set prices based on a rider’s phone manufacturer,” and Ola claiming, “We have a homogenous pricing structure for all our customers.”

The authority is also closely examining complaints from BluSmart customers regarding unused wallet balances and refund claims after the company suspended operations without prior notice in April 2025. Customers reported issues with unresponsive customer support, adding to their grievances.

Ola Electric, meanwhile, has faced multiple notices from the CCPA regarding allegations of delayed service, defective vehicle sales, and other customer complaints. In January 2025, the company received its third notice from the authority, following earlier communications in October and December 2024. The Karnataka High Court recently rejected Ola Electric’s petition to quash these notices.