Tech titan Google has filed a writ in the Karnataka High Court seeking more time to respond to CCI’s queries related to the probe into Play Store rules.
Google said it respected the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) investigation process and “will continue to engage cooperatively and constructively in the interest of a fair investigation”.
A Google spokesperson said in an email on Monday, “We have filed a writ in the Karnataka High Court with regard to the interim relief application by the CCI in the Google Play investigation, seeking to proceed in accordance with the established due process principles.” ” A source aware of the company’s position on the matter said that Google has extended the deadline for developers in India to integrate with Play’s billing system to October 31, 2022.
The source also said that Google believes that this voluntary extension of the deadline eliminates the need for ‘interim injunctive relief’ sought by ADIF (Alliance of Digital India Foundation). Therefore, the emphasis on tight deadlines is ‘concerning as there is no reason for undue haste’, the source said. Google also made some other ‘procedural’ requests to the CCI regarding the identity of the complainants as well as the inclusion of a judicial member in the investigation panel.
In the “absence of any urgency”, the source said, Google was of the view that the CCI should follow due process in the interest of a fair and thorough investigation.
Earlier this month, Google said it was deferring the deadline for developers in India to integrate with its Play billing system from March 2022 to October next year.
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