E-commerce giants remove walkie-talkie listings after govt cracks down on illegal sales

New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Major e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, JioMart, Meta, and Chimiya, have removed several walkie-talkie product listings following new government rules to prevent the illegal sale of radio communication equipment online.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, recently issued detailed guidelines to regulate how such devices are listed and sold on online marketplaces.

The move comes in response to rising concerns about unregulated walkie-talkies that can interfere with critical communication networks like those used by police and emergency services.

The new rules, titled ‘Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025,’ were created in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

They aim to protect consumers and the national communication infrastructure by ensuring only authorised and properly certified equipment is available for sale.

Many walkie-talkies previously sold online lacked clear information about the legal need for a wireless operating license.

Listings often omitted key technical details such as frequency range, regulatory approvals, or whether the product required a license under laws like the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933.

This led to buyers being misled into believing they could freely use such devices without restrictions.

Under the new guidelines, online platforms are now required to clearly mention whether a walkie-talkie requires a license, display approved frequency ranges, and provide valid regulatory certifications such as Equipment Type Approval (ETA).

Listings that fail to meet these standards must be taken down, and misleading advertisements are strictly prohibited.

The CCPA has previously flagged over 16,000 such product listings and issued 13 notices to major platforms for violating consumer protection laws.

The new guidelines strengthen enforcement, set out penalties for violations, and hold both sellers and platforms responsible for compliance.

--IANS

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