E-commerce platforms should bear direct consumer liability for defective products sold by third-party sellers on their marketplaces, rather than acting as mere intermediaries.
Aaj ki is debate mein hum ek bahut important sawaal par vichar karenge: kya e-commerce platforms ko unke third-party sellers ke defective products ke liye zimmedaar thehraya jaana chahiye — yeh ek aisa mudda hai jo laakhon Indian consumers aur businesses dono ko seedha prabhavit karta hai. Yeh ek legal awareness discussion hai, court ka faisla nahi — hum principle aur policy ke ird-gird rahenge. To main Counsel Aarav se gujarish karungi ki woh apna paksh rakhna shuru karein.
My lord, main yeh nivedan karta hoon ki Consumer Protection Act, 2019 ka Section 83 clearly ek 'product liability action' ka adhikar deta hai — aur is provision ka seedha application e-commerce marketplaces par hota hai jab woh defective third-party products ke distribution mein active role nibhaate hain. Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 ka Rule 5(2) unhe yeh ensure karne ka kanuni dayitva deta hai ki seller ke product descriptions accurate hon — iska matlab hai platform sirf ek passive pipe nahi, balki ek zimmedaar stakeholder hai. Isliye, jab platform yeh duty fulfil karne mein fail hota hai aur consumer ko defective product milta hai, toh liability ka door unpar bhi khulna chahiye — yahi is motion ka core demand hai aur main ise poori tarah se support karta hoon.
Ref: Consumer Protection Act, 2019 · Section 83; Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 · Section 5
My Lord, paksh ne bahut badi baat kahi — lekin Consumer Protection Act, 2019 ka Section 87 seedha kehta hai ki agar defect seller ki galat information ya misrepresentation ki wajah se hua ho, to product liability ka bojh platform par nahi, seller par padta hai. Main yeh maanti hoon ki consumer protection zaroori hai, lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ki ek intermediary marketplace ko manufacturer ya seller ki jaisi absolute liability de di jaaye — yeh na tarkasangat hai, na kanoon ki bhavna ke anukool. Vipaksh ka clear stand yeh hai: e-commerce platforms ko defective third-party products ke liye blanket liability dena kanoonan galat hoga aur Section 87 ke exceptions isi soch ko reflect karte hain.
Ref: Consumer Protection Act, 2019 · Section 87
My lord, vipaksh kehta hai ki platform sirf ek 'intermediary' hai — lekin main kahta hoon ki jab platform product listing approve karta hai, payment process karta hai, aur delivery guarantee deta hai, to woh ek passive conduit nahi, balki ek active participant hai is transaction ka. Gramin ya semi-urban consumer ke paas yeh jaanne ka koi zariya nahi hota ki seller kaun hai, reliable hai ya nahi — platform hi uski ek-maatra trust layer hai, aur is bharose ke saath accountability bhi aani chahiye. Isliye, my lord, liability ka yeh sawaal sirf kanooni nahi, balki naitik aur structural bhi hai — platform ko zimmedaar thahraana hi aam upbhokta ka asli suraksha kavach banega.
My Lord, paksh ne Section 83 ki baat ki — lekin Section 87 ko deliberately nazarandaaz kar diya, jo clearly exceptions deta hai product liability action mein, jab seller ki galti platform ke control se bahar ho. Paksh yeh nahi samajhti ki Rule 5(2) ke tahat platform ka kaam sirf sellers se undertaking lena hai — woh khud manufacturer ya seller ki jagah nahi le sakta, aur usse strict liability impose karna ek alag commercial entity par doosre ki kartoot ka bojh daalna hai. Jo zimmedari manufacturer ya seller ki hai, usse platform par thopna na sirf legally unjustified hai, balki Article 19(1)(g) ke tahat trade karne ke adhikar ka bhi ulanghan hai — aur isliye main maanti hoon ki yeh motion in its absolute form manzoor nahi hona chahiye.
Ref: Consumer Protection Act, 2019 · Section 87; Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 · Section 5; Constitution of India · Article 19
Prosecution ki taraf se yeh dali gayi ki Consumer Protection Act 2019 ke Section 83 aur 86 ke tahat e-commerce platforms ko product seller maan kar liable kiya jaaye, jabki Defence ne Consumer Protection E-Commerce Rules 2020 ke Rule 5 aur IT Act ki Section 79 ki intermediary exemption ka sahara lekar kaha ki platform sirf ek marketplace hai, direct liability nahi banti. Meri balanced legal suggestion yeh hai ki platforms ko tabhi strict liability mein laaya jaaye jab woh seller-like control rakhein — jaise fulfilled-by-platform inventory ya curated listings — aur baaki cases mein unpar disclosure, seller verification, aur grievance redressal ka mandatory zimmedari ho, na ki blanket immunity. Aap citizens se gujarish hai ki is debate ko rate karein aur apni raay dein!
Ref: Consumer Protection Act, 2019 · Section 83; Consumer Protection Act, 2019 · Section 86; Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 · Section 5