Overview

• On July 21, Google and its related entities filed an appeal to the Supreme Court against NCLAT’s March verdict that upheld the CCI’s antitrust order on Play Store billing.
• The challenge also targets a May NCLAT clarification that reinstated directives requiring Google to disclose data policies and limit the use of billing information for competitive gain.
• NCLAT affirmed that Google misused its dominant position by mandating the Play Billing System and favoring Google Pay over rival UPI apps, reducing the fine to ₹216.69 crore from an initial ₹936.44 crore.
• The original 2020 CCI probe found unjust, discriminatory conditions on developers and imposed cease-and-desist orders alongside requirements to allow third-party billing and open developer-user communications.
• The Supreme Court is expected to list the appeal for hearing soon, marking the next phase in India’s tightening scrutiny of major tech platform policies.