In a ruling affecting participation in an ongoing antitrust inquiry, the Delhi High Court has dismissed UltraTech Cement’s appeal challenging the involvement of the Builders Association of India (BAI) in the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) cement cartel case. The court upheld the association’s impleadment to assist the regulator’s assessment.
By allowing BAI to be impleaded, the court stated that the association could contribute to the CCI’s process and help reach a correct conclusion on the allegations. The Builders Association of India had also alleged cartelisation by grey cement manufacturers, broadening the scope of the dispute.
The CCI had initiated the inquiry after receiving complaints from market participants, triggering scrutiny of competitive dynamics and pricing within the cement sector.
Implications for stakeholders: The decision formalises BAI’s participation in the proceedings, potentially providing industry perspectives to the regulator as it evaluates possible anti-competitive conduct in the cement market. Regulators and market participants may watch how this impacts the assessment and any subsequent enforcement actions.
