Supply of non-essential goods by Amazon, Flipkart and other e-commerce companies will remain barred during the lockdown period, the government said on Sunday. Earlier the Ministry of Home Affairs did not explicitly exclude the supply of non-essential items by online sellers in its list of revised guidelines.
The government had earlier eased some restrictions on the e-com portals. The government has allowed the e-commerce companies to recommence of their operations before the lockdown ends on May 3. The government instructed e-commerce companies vehicles would be allowed to roam with necessary permissions. In these guidelines, government did not clarify that e-commerce companies would only be allowed to deliver essential goods. Following this guideline, e-commerce companies sought clarity on non- essential items. For which government has come up with detailed guidelines.
The latest instruction from MHA reads:
“In continuation of Ministry of Home Affairs’s Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I-(A) Dated 15th April, 2020 and 16th April, 2020 and in exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 10 (2) (I) of the Disaster Management Act, the undersigned, in his capacity as Chairperson, National Executive Committee, hereby orders to exclude the following from the consolidated revised guidelines for strict implementation by Ministries/Departments of Government of India, State/Union Territory Governments and State/Union Territory Authorities:
Sub-clause (v) under Clause 14 on Commercial and private establishments
- E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.”
#IndiaFightsCorona
Supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies to remain prohibited during #Lockdown2 to fight #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/6Jdvuzw6VJ— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) April 19, 2020
