The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on Hogar Technologies and Innovations LLP for misleading advertisements of walkie-talkies that did not disclose key regulatory information, including the devices' operating frequencies and licensing requirements, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in a press release reported by ANI on Sunday.

Source: ANI via Daily Prabhat

The order is the latest step in a wider crackdown on walkie-talkies sold online without mandatory disclosures. The CCPA said it has identified over 16,970 non-compliant listings across online platforms and issued notices to 13 e-commerce entities, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Meta, JioMart, IndiaMART and TradeIndia.

So far, the Authority has passed final orders against 12 entities, imposing cumulative penalties of Rs 58 lakh for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. These include penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Meta and TradeIndia, besides Rs 1 lakh each on seven other entities, according to the ministry release.

Source: LatestLY (ANI)

During the proceedings, Hogar Technologies submitted that it possessed valid regulatory approvals and that its website was primarily used for providing information rather than direct online sales. The CCPA, however, maintained that regulatory approvals do not remove the obligation to give consumers complete information before purchase.

"Such omissions could mislead consumers into believing that the devices could be legally operated without obtaining the requisite regulatory authorisations," the release said. Reporting on the order noted that personal mobile radios operating in the 446.0 to 446.2 MHz band are exempt from licensing subject to specified conditions, while devices outside that range remain subject to the applicable regulatory requirements.

Source: The Policy Edge