BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday disposed of the writ petition filed by Google India Pvt Ltd against the Competition Commission of India (CCI), taking note of the joint memo filed by both parties as per their assurance before the court on January 5.
Google India and others had moved the High Court challenging the CCI order on December 14, 2021, pertaining to a probe into the Google Play Store rules. The CCI probe follows a petition filed by Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a startup industry body, seeking relief from certain categories of new Play Store policies.
On January 5, 2022, the Additional Solicitor General, representing the CCI, had submitted that the CCI Director General’s investigation, pursuant to the order dated November 9, 2020, under Section 26(1) of the CCI Act, is likely to be concluded within 60 days. The CCI, therefore, requested that the writ petition may be disposed of.
In the joint memo, it was also stated that the petitioners will continue to cooperate in the investigation in the pending matters and they will not give effect to the Google Play Billing Policy Clarification until October 31, 2022, in compliance with their assurance to the High Court.
It was also stated that the joint memo should not be construed as a legal or factual admission or waiver by any of the parties and all factual and legal contentions by all parties remain open. The parties are at liberty to file appropriate proceedings in the future.