CCPA fines Meesho ₹10 lakh for sale of walkie-talkies without necessary disclosures

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on e-commerce platform Meesho for misleading advertisements about walkie-talkies and for facilitating their sale without mandatory disclosures about compliance with laws applicable to such devices..A Bench consisting of Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra held that Meesho allowed the sale of such radio communication devices without informing consumers about key legal requirements, including spectrum compliance, licensing rules and certification under India’s telecom regulations..The use of walkie-talkies is regulated under the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933. The CCPA noted that the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing under the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology regulates the use of walkie-talkies.There are guidelines as well on procedures for obtaining a walkie-talkie license. The said guidelines issued under 2018 rules also list devices exempted from licensing requirements. Among other requirements, the 2018 rules require manufacturers to obtain an Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certificate from the WPC Wing to ensure regulatory compliance for the sale of such devices. The CCPA went on to explain that the Consumer Rights Act, 2019 requires these aspects to be disclosed when walkie-talkies are sold to the public.In Meesho's case, the CCPA noted that walkie-talkies were sold on its platform without clear disclosures about the requirement of a wireless operating license or compliance with applicable laws. The product listings did not specify whether the devices advertised required a licence or not. Omitting such crucial information may mislead consumers into believing that walkie-talkies were legal for unrestricted use, the CCPA noted while initiating a suo motu case against Meesho. .The watchdog said that Meesho allowed the listing and sale of such devices till May 2025 without disclosures mandated under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the E-commerce Rules, 2020The investigation concluded that buyers were deprived of essential information, exposing them to legal and safety risks..According to the order, Meesho failed to provide ETA/WPC certificates, product IDs, listing URLs, compliance records and seller verification documents for all non-compliant device listings.Meesho also submitted information for only one seller to the CCPA despite evidence that 2,029 units were sold through multiple vendors. .In its defence, Meesho submitted that the listings had been incorrectly categorised by sellers under “Kids & Toys” and that non-compliant items were delisted when flagged. The company stated it later introduced enhanced monitoring, including human verification processes and automated flagging. However, the CCPA rejected the defence, holding that e-commerce platforms cannot act as passive intermediaries when they exercise control over onboarding, pricing systems and revenue-generating listings. It stressed that platforms must proactively prevent illegal sales rather than react post-facto. The order also noted that Meesho had not taken any legal action against the sellers who misused the platform to illegally market restricted devices, merely delisting products instead of penalising violators..Beyond the monetary penalty, the CCPA also issued the following directions:1. Meesho must ensure that no walkie-talkies or licensed radio-based equipment are listed on its platform without statutory approvals.2. Meesho must periodically carry out self-audits to prevent deceptive listings of walkie-talkies in future. It shall further publish a certificate of such self-audit on its website in consumer interest..[Read Order].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.