Look at authority you wield in terms of dominance: SC to Google

The Supreme Court on Thursday orally told Google’s counsel to look at the kind of authority it wields in terms of dominance, while hearing the tech giant’s plea on seeking a stay on a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order imposing a Rs 1,337 crore penalty on it. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud told senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Google, said: “Dr Singhvi, all that you gave us in terms of data in fact militates against your argument.” “Look at the kind of authority which you wield in terms of dominance data indicates 15,000 Android models, 500 million compatible devices 1500 OEMs. When you have that kind of market penetration, then by insisting you necessarily have my bouquet you directly affecting… What the OEM does, impact upon the ultimate consumer,” the Chief Justice said. Singhvi submitted: “I am one of the players in this ecosystem, and people choose Google Play Store due to its excellence and not because of dominance.” He queried that had there been no Android, “would this revolution in telephony had taken place?”