Legal Requirements To Start An E-Commerce Website In India

We have been receiving lots of queries regarding successful and legal opening of e-commerce business in India. We have already explained the legal formalities required for starting e-commerce business in India. In this article we would discuss the legal requirements for starting an e-commerce websites in India.

To start with, we would like to say that we have no dedicated e-commerce laws and regulations in India and they are still evolving. The Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act 2000) governs the online issues of e-commerce in India.

IT Act 2000 is the sole cyber law of India. The cyber law of India mandates that the e-commerce entrepreneurs and owners must ensure cyber law due diligence in India. The cyber law due diligence for companies in India has already become very stringent and many foreign and Indian companies and websites have been prosecuted in India for non exercise of cyber due diligence.

E-commerce entrepreneurs and owners in India must understand that legal issues of e-commerce in India are different for different categories of e-commerce. For instance, electronic trading of medical drugs in India requires more stringent e-commerce and legal compliances as compared to other e-commerce activities. Digital communication channels for drugs and healthcare products in India are scrutinised more aggressively than other e-commerce activities. In fact, regulatory and legislative measures to check online pharmacies trading in banned drugs in India are already in pipeline.

The legal requirements for undertaking e-commerce in India also involve compliance with other laws like contract law, Indian penal code, etc. Further, online shopping in India also involves compliance with the banking and financial norms applicable in India. For instance, take the example of PayPal in this regard. If PayPal has to allow online payments receipt and disbursements for its existing or proposed e-commerce activities, it has to take a license from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in this regard. Further, cyber due diligence for Paypal and other online payment transferors in India is also required to be observed.

Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) recommend that all e-commerce entrepreneurs and owners must do a proper techno legal due diligence before opening an e-commerce website. The Internet intermediary liability in India may be frequently invoked against e-commerce websites in India. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011 prescribes stringent liabilities for e-commerce websites in India. Further, e-commerce websites in India must ensure privacy protection, data protection, data security, cyber security, confidentiality maintenance, etc as well.

Regulatory And Legislative Measures To Check Online Pharmacies Trading In Banned Drugs In India

Online pharmacies are flourishing world over including India. The Indian market share of online pharmacies has been increasing thanks to the growing use of Internet in India. However, this has also created legal and medico legal problems as well.

We have no dedicated e-commerce laws and regulations in India. Further, we also do not have any dedicated e-health laws and regulations in India. In fact, e-health in India is facing legal roadblocks and in the absence of regulatory and legislative measures, online pharmacies are growing unregulated. In the present circumstances, the legal enablement of e-health in India is urgently required.

However, even more grave are the concerns originating out of the use of e-trading for medical and non medical drugs in India. E-trading of medical drugs in India must be undertaken only after complying with the laws of India. There are many cyber laws due diligence requirements in India that e-traders of medical drugs in India must comply. Similarly, foreign websites targeting India for this purpose must also comply with Indian law in order to do legitimate business in India.

There are many online pharmacies that are trading in banned drugs in India as well. Realising the potential dangers arising out of the same, the Indian government has recently constituted a high-level committee to suggest regulatory and legislative measures to check online pharmacies trading in banned drugs in India.

The committee has been set up under the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India to check such sale of banned drugs in India and to prevent black money and finances criminal activities through online transactions. The committee has been constituted as a part of the new drugs policy recently revealed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

However, online pharmacies are by their very nature technology driven. So the approach of Finance Ministry must be techno legal in nature. Fortunately the committee has proposed to establish “cyber patrol units” to intercept syndicates and individuals indulging in such criminal activities over the Internet.

Another good aspect of the proposed legislative initiative is the proposal to route and inspect international mail (containing contraband couriers) while ensuring active cooperation and exchange of information with other enforcement agencies like CBI, DRI and ED, within the country.

Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) welcome this move of Finance Ministry and proposed committee and we wish all the best to them in this regard.

Legal Issues In E-Commerce In India

Electronic commerce is one of the most profitable business ventures in India these days. Not only its present growth is good but even its future and projected growth is tremendous.

However, e-commerce in India is also required to be conducted in a legally permissible manner. This is more so when the information technology act 2000 (IT Act 2000) prescribes stringent penal and pecuniary penalties for violation of its provisions during e-commerce transactions.

The natural question arises as to what are the basic e-commerce laws in India that various e-commerce players must adhere to in order to escape civil and criminal sanctions? Although we have no dedicated electronic commerce laws in India yet the IT Act 2000 covers many aspects of the same. IT Act 2000 is the sole cyber law of India that has been invoked on numerous counts against e-commerce portals and Internet intermediaries in India who violated the provisions of the same.

The legal requirements for undertaking e-commerce in India also involve compliance with other laws like contract law, Indian penal code, etc. Further, online shopping in India also involves compliance with the banking and financial norms applicable in India. For instance, take the example of PayPal in this regard. If PayPal has to allow online payments receipt and disbursements for its existing or proposed e-commerce activities, it has to take a license from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in this regard. Further, cyber due diligence for Paypal and other online payment transferors in India is also required to be observed.

With the active use of electronic commerce in India the electronic commerce dispute resolution in India is also required to be strengthened. The present litigation system of India is not conducive for the growth of e-commerce n India and online dispute resolution in India is more appropriate for such purposes.

Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) have launched dedicated platforms for resolving e-commerce, domain name, commercial, technological and cross border disputes resolution in India and word wide. These include platforms named Electronic Courts, E-Judiciary, ODR India, Online Arbitration, etc.

Finally, for those who wish to engage in cloud computing, virtualisation and other Internet based services in India, Perry4Law and PTLB recommend that they comply with techno legal regulations of India. Virtualisation and cloud computing service providers in India must not only follow the encryption laws of India but they must also ensure cyber law due diligence in India. This is more so when the cyber law due diligence for companies in India has become very stringent and foreign companies and websites are frequently prosecuted in India for non exercise of cyber due diligence.

Perry4Law and PTLB wish all the best to all e-commerce players in India and abroad.

Cash On Delivery May Harm E-Commerce In India

E-commerce players in India are trying every possible method to woo customers. Besides discounts, cash on delivery (COD) has been developed as a mechanism to enhance consumer’s and customer’s trust in the e-commerce business model.

Cash on delivery has an obvious advantage that consumers in India are more comfortable with the same. However, it has a major drawback as well .Cash on delivery results in delayed payments, higher rejection rates and longer turnaround.

Cash on delivery method was devised at a time when there was limited knowledge and little awareness about e-commerce in India. Similarly, sticking to cash on delivery was also required as there was not much broadband penetration, technological access and technology awareness among Indian masses.

Now things have changed and sticking to the old cash on delivery method may not be productive in the long run. Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) believe that in an ideal e-commerce model, cash on delivery percentage should not be more than 20% of the total e-commerce sales and revenues. If it is more than 20%, additional costs and unintended inefficiencies may creep in.

While public awareness about both e-commerce and technology use may have increased yet Indian e-commerce industry is suffering from a serious drawback. We have no dedicated e-commerce laws and regulations in India. E-commerce legal issues are still governed by the information technology act, 2000 (IT Act 2000) that is the cyber law of India. We need a dedicated e-commerce law in India to meet the growing techno legal challenges of e-commerce.

A sound legal framework is also required as future shift from cash on delivery to online payments would raise many techno legal issues that Indian e-commerce players have yet to face. A new e-commerce legal framework for India must be established as soon as possible.

E-commerce platforms can be greatly benefited if they have an internal or affiliated dispute resolution mechanism at place. For example, use of online dispute resolution (ODR) in India can be a good option at e-commerce platforms. In fact, use of ODR for e-commerce disputes resolution is the latest trend word over.

We at Perry4Law and PTLB are managing the exclusive techno legal e-courts centre and ODR centre of India where techno legal disputes of e-commerce platforms, corporate houses, individuals, international organisations, etc are resolved.

If you are an e-commerce platform that wishes to safeguard your techno legal interests, feel free to contact us in this regard with your proposal. We would take care of all your techno legal issues pertaining to e-commerce.

Electronic Commerce Dispute Resolution In India

Electronic commerce laws in India are in their infancy stage. Presently we have no dedicated electronic commerce laws in India and legal requirements for undertaking e-commerce in India are still maturing.

Similarly, adoption of online disputes resolution (ODR) in India is also at early stage. Corporate disputes and online disputes resolution in India and e-commerce disputes resolution in India are the upcoming trends that corporate world of India is exploring. Particularly, many e-commerce players in India have shown their interest in using ODR for resolving their customers’ disputes in an online environment.

Electronic commerce brings both comforts and discomforts to its users. The comforts include on the spot sales and purchase, competitive costs, convenience, saving of time, etc. The discomforts include frauds and cyber crimes committed against e-commerce users. At times there are disagreements and dissatisfactions as well among buyers and purchasers that cannot be resolved using traditional litigation methods.

This is the reason why we need alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism to resolve e-commerce disputes in India. E-commerce regulations and laws in India are limited in nature and this does not allow use of ADR mechanisms and technology driven solutions. For instance, while European Union and other nations are increasingly using online dispute resolution (ODR) for resolving many aspects of e-commerce disputes yet online dispute resolution (ODR) in India is still not known.

Similarly, establishment of e-courts in India can also facilitate early and effective e-commerce disputes resolutions in India. However, till February 2012 we are still waiting for the establishment of first e-court in India. E-courts and ODR in India are urgently required to reduce backlog of cases and for reducing increasing pressure upon traditional courts. E-courts and ODR can also help in e-commerce disputes resolutions in India.

Some of the areas where we must pay special attention include technology related dispute resolution in India, film, media and entertainment industry dispute resolution in India, cross border e-commerce dispute resolution in India, etc. E-courts and ODR can be effectively used for all the abovementioned purposes.

E-commerce players in India have many techno legal obligations to follow and cyber law due diligence in India is one such obligation. Not only legal requirements for undertaking e-commerce in India are stringent but even Internet intermediaries liability in India must be taken seriously by companies engaged in online transactions and businesses.

Realising that cyberspace can bring many commercial benefits; both individuals and companies are ensuring that they have strong online presence. More and more brand promotion and protection in India are done these days in an online environment. Companies and individuals are also ensuring domain name protection in India so that their reputation and goodwill is not misappropriated by others. Brand protection, reputation management and domain name cyber squatting disputes are at rise and the same can be resolved using e-courts and ODR in India.

However, there is a general lack of awareness regarding use of e-courts and ODR for e-commerce disputes resolution. Further, there are very few e-commerce lawyers and law firms in India that can provide expert services in this regard. E-commerce players must also be aware that other laws, including intellectual property laws, can make these e-commerce players labile for civil and criminal actions. For instance, these e-commerce players can be held liable for online infringement of copyright in India of the copyright owners. Similarly, if any person posts an offending material at the e-commerce site or otherwise deal with the e-commerce site in an illegal manner, the e-commerce site owner may find himself in trouble.

Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) strongly recommend that before opening an e-commerce website or business, the owner of the same must consult a good techno legal law firm that can advice him upon all the possible and applicable aspect of e-commerce laws in India. Further, Perry4Law and PTLB also recommend active use of e-courts and ODR in India for resolving e-commerce disputes resolutions in India and corporate disputes in India.

We also believe that more effective and useful e-commerce laws in India must be formulated that expressly deal with e-commerce aspects in India. Let us hope that these suggestions would be implemented by Indian government very soon.

E-Commerce Laws In India

Technology has brought many important changes the way we deal in our day to day lives. Whether it is e-governance or e-commerce, individuals and companies are equally benefited due to use of technology.

Realising that cyberspace can bring many commercial benefits; both individuals and companies are ensuring that they have strong online presence. More and more brand promotion and protection in India are done these days in an online environment. Companies and individuals are also ensuring domain name protection in India so that their reputation and goodwill is not misappropriated by others.

We have no dedicated e-commerce laws in India. However, the information technology act 2000 (IT Act 2000), which is the sole cyber law of India, is regulating the e-commerce business and transactions in India. Internet intermediaries liability in India under the IT Act 2000 is very stringent. Cyber law due diligence in India is one aspect that all e-commerce site owners must frequently engage in.

Electronic commerce in India (E-commerce in India) has slowly and steadily entered the Indian market. Toady from tickets booking to purchasing of good and services, everything happens in an online environment.

Of course, where commercial transactions occur, disputes and differences are bound to occur. To prevent and resolve these disputes we need norms, regulations and laws that are acceptable to all the stakeholders.

The e-commerce law of India is primarily incorporated in the information technology act, 2000 (IT Act 2000) that takes cares of legal obligations of both sellers and buyers of good and services in cyberspace.

The IT Act 2000 prescribes rules and norms for online contract formulation. The traditional concepts of offer, acceptance etc, as applicable under the contractual laws, have also been covered by the IT Act 2000. The only difference is that they have been customised as per the requirements of cyberspace.

However, e-commerce transactions and contracts also attract certain additional legal liabilities that e-commerce players in India are not very much aware. For instance, very few e-commerce players in India are aware that they are “intermediaries” within the meaning of IT Act 2000. Further, there are very few e-commerce lawyers and law firms in India that can provide expert services in this regard.

Further, other laws, including intellectual property laws, make these e-commerce players labile for civil and criminal actions. For instance, these e-commerce players can be held liable for online infringement of copyright in India of the copyright owners.

Similarly, if any person posts an offending material at the e-commerce site or otherwise deal with the e-commerce site in an illegal manner, the e-commerce site owner may find himself in trouble.

Cyber law due diligence in India is one aspect that all e-commerce site owners must frequently engage in. The present laws of India are stringent in nature and subsequently claiming ignorance of such laws would not make much difference.

Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) strongly recommend that before opening an e-commerce site or business, the owner of the same must consult a good techno legal law firm that can advice him upon all the possible and applicable aspect of e-commerce laws in India.