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Business Standard

Consumer rights body issues guidelines for online sale of walkie-talkies

A regulatory body for consumer rights on Friday notified guidelines to curb the unauthorised sale of wireless devices, doing so almost three weeks after sending notices to ecommerce companies for listing and selling walkie-talkies without 'regulatory compliance'. The Central Consumer Protection Authority's (CCPA) 'Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025,' mandate the listing of only authorised walkie-talkies operating on permitted frequencies. The guidelines call for full disclosure of frequency ranges and other technical parameters, prohibit misleading advertisements or product descriptions, and outline penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Ecommerce companies should undertake 'due diligence' and verify regulatory compliance, including licensing where applicable. The listings lacking frequency information or necessary certification should be taken down. "These guidelines have been notified to curb the unauthorised sale of wireless devices that may pose risks to consumer safety, mislead consumers regarding their legal position and interfere with critical communication networks, including those used by law enforcement and emergency services," said the Consumer Affairs Ministry in a statement. The Ministry added that ecommerce platforms are 'under constant monitoring and examination'. CCPA on May 9 sent 13 notices to ecommerce companies about 16,970 product listings for the sale of walkie-talkies without proper frequency disclosure, licensing information, or approval. It said the companies had violated the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Platforms that got notices were Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, OLX, TradeIndia, Facebook, Indiamart, VardaanMart, Jiomart, Krishnamart, Chimiya, Talk Pro Walie Talkie and MaskMan toys. Business Standard wrote to some of these companies when notices were sent but did not get a response.