SC refuses to entertain Google's plea against NCLAT order

ANDROID DOMINANCE

In a setback to Google, the Supreme Court on Thursday endorsed the order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) declining to grant an interim stay on the imposition of a penalty of Rs 1,337 crore on the US tech giant by the competition regulator for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the Android mobile device ecosystem.

The top court said at the interlocutory stage, it would suffice to say that the findings of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Google were neither without jurisdiction nor suffering from any manifest error warranting its interference. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud granted a week's time to the US firm to deposit 10 percent of Rs 1,337 crore penalty imposed on it by the CCI. The bench, which also comprised Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, asked the NCLAT to decide Google's appeal against the competition regulator's order by March 31 this year after charting out the time schedule for the hearing.

"It is suffice to note that the findings which have been arrived at by CCI cannot be held, at the interlocutory stage, to be either without jurisdiction or suffering from a manifest error Google which would have necessitated interference at the interlocutory stage," it ordered.