New Delhi — The Delhi High Court on Tuesday raised serious concerns over the fairness and procedural conduct of proceedings before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) while hearing a writ petition filed by the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) in a case involving major logistics and courier companies.
A Division Bench headed by the Hon’ble Chief Justice questioned whether the investigation and related proceedings being carried out by the CCI and its investigative arm, the Director General (DG), were in compliance with principles of fairness, transparency, and natural justice. The court’s observations came amid allegations by FIP that the regulator’s actions were procedurally flawed and prejudicial.
The writ petition challenges multiple aspects of the ongoing CCI proceedings, including the issuance of ex-parte orders, denial of access to relevant case records, restrictions on cross-examination, and the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the CCI (General) Regulations, 2024. According to FIP, these actions have undermined due process and impaired effective legal representation.
The court noted that regulatory investigations, particularly those with significant commercial and legal consequences, must adhere strictly to principles of natural justice and cannot be conducted in a manner that compromises fairness.
The Federation of Indian Publishers was represented before the court by Senior Advocate J. Sai Deepak, along with Advocate Rahul Goel and Ms. Anu Monga, Partners at AnantLaw.
Reacting to the court’s observations, Pranav Gupta, Vice President of the Federation of Indian Publishers, said,
“The Hon’ble Delhi High Court’s remarks reaffirm our long-standing concern that fairness, transparency, and due process are fundamental to regulatory proceedings. Competition law enforcement must be firmly rooted in the rule of law and principles of natural justice. We are encouraged that the Court has taken cognisance of issues that affect not just this case, but the credibility of the regulatory framework as a whole.”
The matter is expected to be listed for further hearing in due course. The Federation of Indian Publishers has stated that it remains committed to pursuing the issue through all appropriate legal remedies.
About the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP)
The Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) is the apex body representing publishers across English, Hindi, and all major regional languages in India. Representing over 80 percent of the Indian publishing industry, FIP includes all leading publishers as direct members, with others affiliated through regional associations. Since its inception, FIP has served as the national voice of Indian publishing, advocating professional standards, industry dialogue, and fair policy frameworks, while actively engaging with international stakeholders.