Govt issues draft rules to make e-commerce more accountable

The government has rolled out draft guidelines for e-commerce platforms, mandating self-regulatory measures to protect consumers from fraudulent practices amid the fast-growing digital shopping landscape in India.

The draft guidelines, titled ‘E-commerce-Principles and Guidelines for Self Governance’, have been prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s supervision, seeking stakeholder comments by February 15. “…the rise of e-commerce has introduced new challenges, particularly in terms of consumer protection and trust.