JioStar faces CCI probe over Kerala market dominance

The Supreme Court refused to halt an ongoing Competition Commission of India investigation into JioStar's alleged abuse of dominance in Kerala's cable TV market. JioStar, owned by Reliance Industries, faces allegations from competitor ADNPL of discriminatory pricing favoring KCCL.

The Supreme Court handed down its decision on Tuesday, opting not to entertain a plea by JioStar, a Reliance Industries-owned streaming platform, seeking to block a probe by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The investigation centers on claims of JioStar's misuse of its market power in Kerala's cable television sector.

Presiding over the hearing, Justices J B Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta emphasized that the issue is currently in preliminary stages, rendering it advisable for the market watchdog to proceed with its investigation. Apologetically, the bench directed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing JioStar, to allow the regulatory process to unfold unimpeded.

Despite Rohatgi's references to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Act, arguing the matter is under a sectoral regulation invalidating the probe, the Court maintained its stance. Complaints led by Asianet Digital Network Limited allege JioStar's preferential pricing strategies heavily impacted its subscriber base, shifting customers to JioStar affiliate KCCL.

(With inputs from agencies.)