Over and out: CCPA imposes ₹10 lakh penalties on Flipkart and Meta over illegal walkie-talkie listings

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty each on Flipkart and Meta Platforms (Facebook Marketplace) for permitting the sale of walkie-talkies on their platforms without mandatory disclosures relating to licensing and regulatory compliance. .In two separate, but legally aligned orders passed in January 2026, the CCPA held that both platforms hosted and facilitated listings of walkie-talkies without informing consumers about critical legal requirements such as operating frequency range, the need for a wireless operating licence and Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification. The Authority found that these omissions misled consumers into believing that the devices were lawful for unrestricted use..The CCPA noted that walkie-talkies are regulated telecom equipment governed by the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and related rules administered by the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC) under the Ministry of Communications. Under the 2018 exemption rules, only Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) operating strictly within the 446.0–446.2 MHz frequency band are exempt from licensing. Devices operating outside this band require prior approvals, including ETA certification and, where applicable, a wireless operating licence.According to the Authority, neither Flipkart nor Facebook Marketplace disclosed these legal distinctions on their listings. As a result, consumers were deprived of their statutory right to be informed about the standard, legality and safety of the goods being offered for sale..In the Flipkart matter, the CCPA took suo motu cognisance of listings on the platform and issued a notice in May 2025. Based on information furnished by the company, the Authority recorded that 8,708 sellers were offering walkie-talkies and that 1,08,206 units had been sold since January 2023, irrespective of frequency range. None of the listings disclosed licensing requirements or verified ETA/WPC certification details.The CCPA held that the scale of sales demonstrated a systemic failure to exercise due diligence under the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020. While Flipkart argued that it functioned merely as an intermediary and that compliance obligations rested with third-party sellers, the Authority rejected this defence, observing that marketplace entities have independent obligations to ensure that regulated products are not sold without legally mandated disclosures..In the case concerning Facebook Marketplace, the CCPA similarly found that Meta had permitted the listing of walkie-talkies without mandatory disclosures. The Authority noted that although Meta removed certain listings after the issuance of the show-cause notice and cited internal policies and automated detection tools, these steps were largely reactive and post-facto.The CCPA held that repeated hosting of such listings, even after regulatory intervention, indicated inadequate enforcement mechanisms. It further rejected Meta’s contention that Facebook Marketplace was not a “marketplace e-commerce entity”, holding that the platform facilitated listing, discovery, and buyer–seller interaction and therefore fell squarely within the ambit of the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020..Concluding that both platforms had engaged in misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices in violation of Sections 2(28), 2(47), 20 and 21 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the CCPA imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on both of them. The Authority also directed the companies to ensure strict compliance with disclosure obligations and to strengthen due diligence mechanisms to prevent the sale of regulated products without lawful authorisation..[Read Meta order].[Read Flipkart order].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.