Top officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will meet to discuss the proposed policy and rules for regulating the country's e-commerce space.

Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs Rohit Kumar Singh and Secretary of State for Industry Anurag Jain are likely to discuss the DPIIT's e-commerce policy.

Top ecommerce enterprises, industry associations, and other important players have been consulted by the consumer affairs ministry.

After key government ministries and leading e-commerce players raised concerns about the planned revisions, the department is expected to modify some parts of the proposed e-commerce laws intended at consumer safety.

The rules were panned by industry organizations and government departments, who claimed that they would harm investor confidence. The main focus of the final guidelines will be on consumer protection.

In June of last year, the consumer affairs ministry recommended a set of recommendations for e-tailers, which included a prohibition on flash sales and the sale of goods at dramatically discounted prices. Locally made goods were also given preference under the criteria. The rules were panned by industry organizations and government departments, who claimed that they would harm investor confidence. The main focus of the final guidelines will be on consumer protection.

Officials from the DPIIT and key e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart, as well as trade organizations like the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), met virtually this week to discuss the proposed e-commerce policy and other concerns.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, who was present at the meeting, called for an ‘unambiguous’ e-commerce strategy and the establishment of an e-tail regulatory authority. He called for mandatory registration of each commerce entity conducting business activities, mandatory and strict KYC norms for sellers, and a clear distinction between the marketplace and inventory model of e-commerce platforms, citing violations of foreign direct investment (FDI) laws by foreign-funded companies.

The national e-commerce policy inter-ministerial dialogues are expected to define out the obligations of marketplaces and sellers, as well as ensuring that customers can make an informed decision before purchasing a product.