The Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 27, dismissed JioStar’s plea seeking to block the Competition Commission of India (CCI) from investigating allegations
of abuse of dominant position in Kerala’s television distribution market. The court ruled that the matter warrants investigation and allowed CCI to continue its probe.
The Reliance Industries-owned entertainment unit company approached the top court to challenge the Kerala High Court's order on December 3, 2025, which also rejected JioStar's plea.
The controversy began when Asianet Digital Network Ltd., a leading cable distributor in Kerala, filed a complaint alleging that JioStar had engaged in discriminatory and preferential pricing practices, particularly favouring Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd through marketing and promotional discounts.
These practices, the complaint argued, placed other distributors at a disadvantage and violated principles of fair competition in the market.
JioStar, however, contended that the operations of broadcasters are governed exclusively by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which regulates pricing and licensing. The company argued that CCI had no jurisdiction to investigate its business practices and sought judicial intervention to halt the probe.
Past Kerala HC rulings
In May 2025, a single‑judge bench ruled that CCI can examine potential abuse of dominance even in a regulated sector. A subsequent Division Bench in December 2025 reiterated the same position, ordering CCI to complete its investigation within eight weeks.
The High Court emphasised that TRAI's regulatory role does not preclude CCI from assessing anti‑competitive behaviour or dominant market position.
If CCI’s investigation does find JioStar guilty of abusing its dominant position, the company could face penalties or remedial measures under the Competition Act.
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