CCI takes over National Anti-profiteering Authority

New Delhi The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has finally taken over the functions of the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA). The NAA was constituted in 2017 to ensure that the consumer benefited from the reduction in rate of the Central goods and services tax. The NAA had a two-year term, but it kept getting extensions. In November last year, the government decided to finally disband it and bring its functions within the CCI’s ambit. Last month, the process of bringing the NAA under the CCI was completed, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

Now, the CCI may inquire into any alleged contravention of the provisions of Section 171 of the Central Goods & Services Tax Act-2017, on its own motion or on receipt of information from any interested party.

On receipt of the information, in case the commission is of the opinion that there exists a prima facie case, it shall direct the Director General of Anti-profiteering (DGA) to investigate the case in a fixed time frame and submit the report.

The report received from the DGA “shall be registered by endorsing on it the date of its receipt and shall also be caused to be entered in a register to be kept by the CCI Secretary,” the official sources said.

The report “shall be accompanied with all the records relied upon during the investigation” by the DGA.

In case the DGA’s report recommends that there is no violation, the commission “may send a copy of the report to the complainant interested party and invite objections from it and, after hearing the above party, may either close the matter or pass any order it may deem just and proper.” It may even direct the DGA to further investigate the matter. After registration of the report, a notice shall be issued to the interested parties. A minimum period of 15 days shall be given to such parties for appearance and filing reply which may be extended on justifiable grounds, the sources said.