Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Meta among penalised entities
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated suo motu action against multiple e-commerce platforms for listing and selling unauthorised walkie-talkies in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and telecom regulations. The authority has issued final orders against eight platforms and imposed penalties totalling ₹44 lakh for facilitating the sale of non-compliant radio communication devices.
According to the CCPA, notices were issued to 13 e-commerce entities after authorities identified more than 16,970 non-compliant listings of walkie-talkies and personal mobile radios (PMRs). The platforms issued notices include Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, Meesho, MaskMan Toys, TradeIndia, Antriksh Technologies, Vardaanmart, IndiaMart, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart, Krishna Mart, and Amazon.
The regulator found that several platforms were facilitating the sale of PMRs operating outside the licence-exempt frequency band, without mandatory Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification and without proper disclosure of licensing requirements. Under existing rules, licence exemption applies only to devices operating strictly within the 446.0–446.2 MHz frequency band.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare told PTI that penalties of ₹10 lakh each were imposed on Meesho, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart, and Amazon. Smaller penalties of ₹1 lakh each were imposed on Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, and MaskMan Toys. She added that Meesho, Meta, Chimiya, JioMart, and Talk Pro have already paid the penalties, while payment from the remaining platforms is awaited.
The CCPA uncovered widespread violations across platforms. On Flipkart, over 65,900 units were sold where frequency details were either missing or outside the exempted range, while more than 42,000 units were sold with correct disclosures. Amazon recorded 2,602 sales between January 2023 and May 2025, with hundreds of listings lacking proper certification or frequency information. Meesho saw over 2,200 units sold by a single seller alone, many without ETA certification or frequency disclosures. JioMart sold 58 such units over two years, while Facebook Marketplace had 710 listings delisted following CCPA intervention.
In the case of Facebook Marketplace, the authority observed that walkie-talkies were listed without disclosure of licensing requirements, frequency specifications, or ETA and Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) certification. Despite post-notice removals, the platform allegedly allowed repeated listings without adequate preventive safeguards.
The CCPA rejected claims by several platforms that they were protected under intermediary status. It held that platforms facilitating listing, hosting, discovery, and promotion of regulated products cannot be treated as passive conduits. “Intermediary protections are conditional upon effective due diligence and do not apply where mandatory statutory disclosures are ignored,” the authority said.
To strengthen compliance, the CCPA has notified the Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie-Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025, in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Home Affairs. These guidelines mandate verification of frequency compliance, ETA certification before listing, full disclosure of licensing requirements, prohibition of misleading advertisements, and deployment of automated monitoring and takedown systems.
The authority has also directed major e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits, publish audit certificates online, and strengthen pre-listing compliance mechanisms to ensure that no regulated radio equipment is sold without statutory approval.
Warning of serious security risks, the CCPA said unauthorised radio communication devices can interfere with critical communication networks used by law enforcement agencies, disaster response teams, and emergency services. Five cases involving Antriksh Technologies, IndiaMart, TradeIndia, Vardaanmart, and Krishna Mart are still under investigation or hearing.
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