SC notice on plea on country of origin of goods sold online

The Supreme Court has issued notice on a petition seeking directions to the government to formulate policies requiring e-commerce websites to declare the products' country of origin in view of boycotting Chinese goods.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice on a plea seeking directions to the Centre to formulate a law which will make it mandatory for e-commerce sites and businesses to declare the country of origin of their products.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian after hearing the matter issued the notice.

The petition, moved in the apex court in the last week of June, had come on the heels of government procurement portal Government e-Marketplace (GeM) making it mandatory for sellers to declare country of origin on products, in a bid to promote self-reliant India initiative.

The petition was filed by Advocate Divya Jyoti Singh who contended that the users can make an informed decision and help in boycotting of Chinese goods if the country of origin of products are provided.

The plea also gains significance in the backdrop of the India-China military clash at the Galwan valley in Ladakh.

The petitioner has argued that after the origin of the product has been made visible for the consumers, it will help to aid in boycotting Chinese goods.

"There is a wave flowing in the country for boycotting Chinese products, by non-disclosure of the ‘Country of Origin' on the web-portals, these giant business houses/e-commerce portals are not only playing with the patriotic feelings of the Indians but also are proving fatal in the efforts of each and every citizen of India in boycotting the Chinese products…", said the petition.

The plea contended that if the country of origin is not disclosed then it may become a blockade to promote local manufacturing. The petitioner has sought directions to amend the Section 2 (9) of the Consumer Protection Act, with an addition that it should also include the right of the consumer to know the origin of the product. The plea argued that the consumers are often kept in the dark on the huge imports from China, by not disclosing the country of origin, which are largely junk.

(With Inputs from IANS)