In a formal note to the CDCL, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI<\/a>) has said that member company Paytm has “divergent views from those expressed in this submission”, people in the know said.
“There are other Indian startups which have also taken an opposing stance on IAMAI’s views on competition law for digital companies,” the founder of an Indian internet startup told ET. “IAMAI should come out and say which companies other than Google, Meta, etc., are supporting these views.”
ET had reported on May 13 that internet industry body IAMAI had submitted its views to the CDCL opposing the prescription of ex-ante regulations<\/a> for digital companies, saying that ex-ante measures “may limit growth not only of the market in question but the digital economy altogether”.
The IAMAI has argued that the suitability of ex-ante provisions in a proposed digital competition law may be assessed after their impact on investment, innovation, business model diversity, and consumer welfare. Ex-ante refers to ‘before the event’.
On February 6, the corporate affairs ministry had constituted the CDCL to examine whether a separate Digital Competition Act<\/a> is required and draft a Digital Competition Act.
ET’s email query sent to Paytm remained unanswered. IAMAI president Subho Ray did not respond to a request for comment.
Paytm is also a part of the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), an industry body representing Indian startups, which is opposing Google’s implementation of its new in-app purchase billing system<\/a>. In 2020, Google had removed the Paytm app from its Play Store citing violations of its policies, but later restored it.
The fintech company’s dissent to IAMAI’s views has come at a time when Indian startups have accused the internet lobby group of favouring Big Tech platforms<\/a>, senior executives of which currently lead the internet body’s executive council.
The background<\/strong>
ET had reported on April 30 that Indian startups were in opposition <\/a>of the draft views prepared by IAMAI for submission to the CDCL. The draft note had also voiced concerns against recommendations put forth by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on regulating Big Tech platforms.
Notably, IAMAI dropped its remarks against the house panel recommendations in its final submission.
On May 2, ET had reported that following the controversy over IAMAI’s members alleging that it is pushing Big Tech interests, the industry body’s president had written to its members <\/a>that an “overwhelming majority” of the grouping was opposed to a separate competition law for digital companies.
IAMAI’s members include companies such as Google, Meta and Microsoft<\/a>, in addition to Indian tech firms such as Paytm, Ola, PhonePe, Unacademy and Byju’s.
The IAMAI recently announced polls to elect the 24-member governing council for the 2023-2025 term, and is expected to see founders of Indian startups contesting for the top positions.
It said in a statement earlier this week that 83 members of the grouping would be contesting the election, the results of which are expected by the end of this month.
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