CCI may pass another order against cement cos

The new order against cement companies would be in response to a complaint filed in 2006 in the now defunct Monopolies Restrictive Trade Practices Commission.

There were two complaints that were filed against cement cartelisation. One was filed in July 2010 which was disposed off yesterday. The other compliant was filed in 2006 in the defunct MRTP Commission.

Yesterday, when the order had come out many legal experts felt that it had clubbed both the complaints and imposed penalty.

But little did they know that tucked away on page 253 in the final order CCI said that this order did not take into account the compliant that was filed in 2006 and that would be disposed off separately which is currently pending in the commission.

Sources also said that this is also going to be an adverse order because the Director General investigation had found evidence of cartelisation in this case also. Even though they will not be imposing any penalty on these companies because the broad principles of anti-competition has already been established.

They, however, said this is only going to strengthen the case of competition commission against the cement companies.