The fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been directed by the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) to provide fresh copies of its orders in though which it had fined 11 cement companies `6,300 crore as penalty for alleged cartelisation and price manipulation. The appellate tribunal wanted complete details on product pricing and sales.
Hearing the appeals of the cement companies against the Competition Commission order of June 21, Compat asked it to issue fresh copy of the direction to them (the cement companies) within a week.
The CCI had not disclosed various facts about matters like production dispatches and pricing.
The companies which include Ultratech and ACC have been asked to file their amended petitions with the tribunal within two weeks of getting the fresh order. Following that the CCI will get a week to file its reply to the Compat.
The other cement companies charged with cartelisation include Lafarge India, India Cement, JP Associates, Binani Cement, Ambuja Cement, Madras Cement and JK Cement.
The tribunal said the matter would be listed for further hearing within seven weeks, taking into account the fresh details from the CCI and the cement companies.
Compat said its earlier direction of September 13 in the matter wherein the CCI was asked not to take any coercive action would continue to prevail.
The Compat had served notices on September 13 to the CCI and the Builders Association of India on whose complaint the fair trade regulator had imposed a penalty of `6,307 crore on 11 cement firms on charges of cartelisation.
In their existing petitions, cement firms had requested the tribunal to quash the entire CCI order and had also sought an interim stay on the CCI’s penalty till the tribunal decided on their petitions.
Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) has also challenged CCI’s findings along with the producers.
CCI found that cement manufacturers violated the provisions of the Competition Act 2002 which deals with anti-competitive agreements including cartels.