CCPA cracks down on illegal walkie-talkie listings; eight e-commerce entities fined

New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated suo motu action against e-commerce platforms for listing and selling unauthorised walkie-talkies, issuing final orders against eight entities and imposing penalties totalling Rs 44 lakh, officials said.

The action follows the identification of over 16,970 non-compliant product listings across platforms. Notices were issued to 13 e-commerce entities—Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, Meesho, MaskMan Toys, TradeIndia, Antriksh Technologies, Vardaanmart, IndiaMart, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart, Krishna Mart and Amazon.

The CCPA found platforms were facilitating the sale of Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) operating outside the licence-exempt frequency band, without Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification or proper disclosure of licensing requirements.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare told PTI that the authority imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Meesho, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart and Amazon, and Rs 1 lakh each on Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro and MaskMan Toys for violations of consumer rights, misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.

Meesho, Meta, Chimiya, JioMart and Talk Pro have paid their penalties. Payment from the remaining platforms is awaited, she added.

Under existing regulations, licence exemption applies only to PMRs operating strictly in the 446.0–446.2 MHz band. Rule 5 of the Use of Low Power and Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices Rules, 2018 mandates that manufacturers and sellers must obtain ETA before import, sale or operation of such devices.

The authority also flagged specific violations across platforms. On Flipkart, 65,931 units were sold where the frequency range was either left blank or fell outside the exempted range. Another 42,275 units were sold with the correct frequency disclosed.

Amazon saw 2,602 units sold between January 2023 and May 2025, with 467 product listings lacking proper frequency or certification details.

Meesho recorded sales of 2,209 units by a single seller, with several listings failing to disclose ETA certification or frequency specifications. JioMart sold 58 units over two years without clear disclosures on licensing requirements.

Facebook Marketplace had 710 listings delisted following CCPA intervention. The authority said the platform hosted listings without disclosure of licensing requirements, frequency specifications or ETA/WPC certification, and facilitated repeated listing of regulated devices despite post-notice removals.

In the case of Talk Pro (Iconet Services Pvt Ltd), the CCPA found devices were listed operating across UHF 400–1200 MHz while being described as “100 per cent legal” and “license-free”. The authority also objected to claims on operational range.

Chimiya was found offering walkie-talkies operating in the UHF 400–470 MHz band, outside the permitted spectrum, and imported without mandatory approvals.

Several platforms attempted to invoke intermediary status to disclaim responsibility for third-party listings. The CCPA rejected the defence, holding that platforms facilitating listing, hosting, discovery and promotion of regulated products cannot be treated as passive conduits, and that intermediary protections are conditional on effective due diligence.

To strengthen accountability, the CCPA has notified guidelines titled Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie-Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025, in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The guidelines mandate verification of frequency compliance and ETA certification before listing, full disclosure of licensing requirements, prohibition of misleading advertisements, and deployment of automated monitoring and takedown mechanisms.

The CCPA has also directed major e-commerce platforms to undertake self-audits, publish audit certificates online, and strengthen pre-listing compliance systems to ensure no radio equipment requiring statutory approval is listed without full legal compliance.

The authority warned that unauthorised radio communication devices can cause harmful interference with critical national communication networks, including those used by law enforcement, disaster response authorities and emergency services, and can expose consumers to regulatory risks.

Five matters involving Antriksh Technologies, IndiaMart, Tradeindia.com, Vardaanmart and Krishna Mart remain at various stages of investigation or hearing.