The Editorial Board of the RSRR invites submissions for the RSRR Blog Series on the theme “Regulating the E-Commerce Sector in India: A Work In Progress”
Background
The exponential growth of e-commerce as a mode of conducting business raises a number of regulatory issues and legal questions. Over the past few years, the digital economy has seen a significant increase in the number of e-commerce transactions. With the unprecedented growth of the online retail sector, the need to have an adequate policy to govern it has arisen. The need for such a policy led to contemplations on the Draft E-Commerce Policy of 2018 (“Policy”).
The Policy aims to fill the legal vacuum pertaining to the E-commerce sector and bring certainty regarding the legal requirements and factors that the E-Commerce sector has to keep in mind. It aims at creating a level playing field to ensure fair competition for online marketplaces with respect to brick-and-mortar retailers. To regulate the online marketplace the Policy addresses multiple issues/topics vis-à-vis e-commerce including consumer protection, data localization, competition-distorting M&A etc.
In 2019, certain new FDI Rules issued by Department of Industrial Policy and Planning (DIPP) have been introduced which have barred online marketplaces, with foreign investments, from selling products from sellers in which the online marketplaces hold a stake. The Rules inter-alia prevents the exclusive sale of a product on a particular online marketplace. These rules have stirred the market and concretized the dire need to have a stable regulatory framework to regulate e-commerce in India. The instant series aims to facilitate discussion on the comprehensive legislation and regulation for the e-commerce sector in India.
Sub-Themes
- Anti-Competitive Practices in the E-Commerce sector w.r.t the Brick & Mortar retailers;
- Issues around Taxability of E-Commerce transaction;
- Consumer Protection: Grievance Redressal Mechanism under Indian Laws;
- Content Regulations on E-Commerce platforms;
- Draft E-commerce Policy 2018: An Analysis;
- The Intellectual Property Debate related to E-Commerce;
- Standard Contracts of E-Commerce vis a vis Indian Laws;
- Liabilities under E-Commerce transactions
- FDI policies related to E-Commerce;
- Curbing the menace of frauds in E-Commerce transactions;
- Consent Requirement: contractual freedom in E-Commerce sector.
The submissions are, however, not restricted to the aforesaid sub themes, provided they fall within the ambit of the main theme.
Instructions for Authors
- All submissions must be in Garamond, font size 12, spacing 1.5.
- All endnotes should be in Garamond 10, single-spaced.
- Margins: Left 1.5 Inch, Right 1 Inch, Top 1 Inch and Bottom 1 Inch.
- Word Limit for each post is a maximum of 1500 words (Exclusive of endnotes).
- Please ensure inclusion of endnotes instead of footnotes. A uniform style of Citation is necessary for acceptance.
- All entries should be submitted in .doc or .docx format.
Submission Guidelines and Procedure
- All submissions must be in Garamond, font size 12, spacing 1.5.
- All endnotes should be in Garamond 10, single-spaced.
- Margins: Left 1.5 Inch, Right 1 Inch, Top 1 Inch and Bottom 1 Inch.
- Word Limit for each post is a maximum of 1500 words (exclusive of endnotes).
- Please ensure inclusion of endnotes instead of footnotes. A uniform style of citation is necessary for acceptance.
- The manuscript should be accompanied by a cover letter specifying the author’s name, designation, institute, contact number, and e-mail for future reference. [Participants are requested to not put their name anywhere in the main manuscript]
- All entries should be submitted in .doc or .docx format.
- The manuscripts must be e-mailed to submissionsrslr@rgnul.ac.in
- The subject should be titled “Submission for RSRR Blog Series Issue”.
- All selected entries shall be published on the RSRR Blog Series.
- E-certificates will be awarded to the authors of each published blog.
- Co-authorship of maximum of 2 is permitted.
- The author(s) bear sole responsibility for the accuracy of facts, opinions or views stated in the submitted Manuscript.
- In the case of gross plagiarism found in the contents of submitted manuscript, the manuscript shall be subject to rejection.
- Copyright of all blog posts shall remain with RSRR. All Moral Rights shall vest with the author.
Deadline
The last date of submission is March 15, 2019.
Contact
In the case of any query, contact at submissionsrslr@rgnul.ac.in
Furthermore, the following people can be contacted:
Managing Editor- Yavanika Shah (9872466478)
Executive Editors- Aryan Babele (9926041054)
Shrey Nautiyal (7988767598)
