Allegations of unfair trade practices against New Okhla Industrial Development Authority,Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, dismissed

Competition Commission of India (CCI): CCI has rejected allegations of unfair trade practices against New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA), Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority with respect to allotment of land. The allegations in the information filed before CCI pertained to allotment of land on leasehold basis, illegal and discriminatory terms and conditions, illegal transfer charges, stamp duty, etc. It was alleged in the information that New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority were abusing their dominant market positions by imposing unfair and discriminatory terms and conditions on its buyers by allotting land on leasehold basis. It was also alleged that even after paying huge amount of money starting with the purchase of land to its development/ construction and making payment to various authorities for location charges, transfer charges, stamp duty, registration charges etc., the buyers were illegally given the status of a lessee. After hearing both the parties and perusing the material on record, CIC observed that no prima facie case of contravention of the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002 was made out against the opposite parties. “The Informant has not provided any new evidence/ material etc. in the present case except placing reliance and drawing parallels with the order passed by the Commission in DLF case. The allegations raised by the Informant do not involve any competition issue and the Informant may approach the appropriate authority for the same,” CIC observed and closed the matter. Sanjay Goel v. Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, (2015) CCI 8, decided on May 22, 2015