HC extends time for FB to respond to CCI notices in privacy policy matter

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday extended the time for filing replies by Facebook and WhatsApp to two notices issued to them by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) which has ordered a probe into the instant messaging app's new

privacy policy.

WhatsApp and Facebook have challenged the CCI's June 4 and 8, 2021, notices respectively, asking them to furnish certain information for the purpose of inquiry conducted by it. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the Data Protection bill is yet to be finalised and, therefore, adjourned the proceedings to

March 30.

The court was hearing the appeals of Facebook and WhatsApp challenging its single-judge order dismissing their pleas against the probe ordered by the CCI into WhatsApp's new privacy policy. Till then the time to file replies to the June 4 and June 8, last year, notices issued by CCI to the appellants (Facebook and WhatsApp) is extended, the bench said.

The court had earlier granted time to the social media platforms to file replies to notices and thereafter, the time was further extended.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing WhatsApp, submitted that the Data Protection bill was tabled in the Parliament and the court had earlier granted time to file replies to the notices till October 11, 2021, but it could not be extended thereafter as the matter was not

taken up.

Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, appearing for CCI, contended that Data Protection bill is irrelevant to this controversy and that the case does not deal with privacy' but with the provisions of Competition Act relating to abuse of dominant position and inquiry into certain agreements and dominant position of an enterprise.