Competition Commission of India (CCI)

About Competition Commission of India (CCI):

• CCI, a statutory body of the Government of India, was established in March 2009 under the Competition Act, 2002.
• The goal of CCI is to create and sustain fair competition in the economy that will provide a ‘level playing field’ to the producers and make the markets work for the welfare of consumers.
• The priority of the Commission is to eliminate practices having adverse effects on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers, and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India. 
• Mandate: To implement provisions of The Competition Act, 2002 which –
  • prohibits anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position by enterprises;
  • regulates mergers and acquisitions (M&A) which can have an adverse effect on competition within India. Thus, deals beyond a certain threshold are required to get clearance from CCI.
• It oversees the operations of big enterprises to ensure they are not abusing their ‘dominant position’ or power by controlling supply, setting up high purchase prices, or adopting practices that are unethical and may harm budding enterprises.
• Composition:
  • It has the composition of a quasi-judicial body, with one chairperson and six additional members.
  • All members of the CCI are appointed by the Central Government. 
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

Q1) What is a quasi-judicial body?

Quasi-judicial authority refers to the power vested in a government agency or administrative body to make decisions that are similar to those made by a court of law. These agencies are given the authority to hold hearings, gather evidence, and make decisions based on the evidence presented, just like a court of law. They have the power to act like courts in some cases, which helps them make decisions more quickly and with more knowledge in specific areas like the environment, health and safety, and labour relations.

Source: CCI releases draft norms for regulation of combinations