Amazon challenges ₹1 lakh CCPA penalty for selling cookers not meeting standards in Delhi HC

CCPA in August also directed Amazon to notify these 2,265 pressure cookers consumers, recall their products, and reimburse them

U.S.-based Amazon Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court challenging an order of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposing a penalty of ₹1 lakh on the e-commerce giant for selling domestic pressure cookers that did not meet quality standards.

The plea came up before Justice Yashwant Varma who was told by CCPA counsel that she needs time to take instructions from the department on the matter.

The Delhi High Court listed the matter for further hearing on September 19 to enable the counsel to get instructions.

In August, CCPA imposed a ₹1 lakh penalty on Amazon for selling pressure cookers that did not meet quality standards and also directed the company to notify the consumers of all these 2,265 pressure cookers sold through its platform, recall the products, and reimburse the prices to buyers.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, in its statement, had said that the authority passed the order against Amazon for allowing the sale of domestic pressure cookers, in violation of mandatory standards, on its platform.

During the hearing, Amazon's counsel submitted that as per the relevant provision under the Consumer Protection Act, the scheme is if there is a prima facie finding, the matter has to be referred for investigation, and based on the investigation, an order has to be passed.

“In this case, it has been completely given a go-by apart from the fact that there is a penalty which is imposed and which is not warranted by any provision of the Act,” the counsel said.