Centre Notifies Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 Effective 1 January 2027
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, overhauling the 2020 rules and coming into force on 1 January 2027. E-commerce entities must become National Consumer Helpline (NCH) convergence partners, give complainants a copy of the complaint recorded by the grievance officer, and are barred from manipulating search results to mislead users. Sponsored listings must carry clear and prominent disclosures separating paid placements from organic results. Platforms must display both the reduced price and the prior price, defined as the lowest price offered during the preceding 30 days.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 replaced the 1986 Act and created the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), headquartered in New Delhi | National Consumer Rights Day is observed in India on 24 December, while World Consumer Rights Day falls on 15 March | The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules were first notified in 2020 under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019