Which is better: bulk sms or sms-based e-commerce services?
India’s e-Commerce and e-Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said e-tailers are the only players in the Indian market that have the right to operate in a transparent manner and should not be subject to any restrictions or regulation.
Mr Jaitleys comment came after the government decided to scrap a ban on bulk SMS service provider e-Services that is currently being challenged in a Delhi court.
The move has also been met with protests from e-tech companies.
The ban, which was imposed in May last year, allowed e-services companies to operate through bulk numbers with their customers who did not have access to their own SMS service.
However, e-senders have faced a barrage of legal challenges and are currently appealing the order in the Supreme Court, which is due to hear arguments on July 25.
The e-tolls that were allowed under the ban had been scrapped by the Supreme Courts last year but were later reinstated by the government.
In a blogpost, the minister said e.tailers should be able to operate under the same conditions as all other e-service providers.
Mr. Jaitks post comes as e-finance minister Arun Bhattacharya, a former Tata Consultancy Services executive, is facing criticism for not providing a clear answer on e-consumer protection laws in India.
The Finance Ministry has been trying to provide clarity on e.consumer protection legislation.
The minister said there is no specific e-protection law in India that has been drafted.