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@article{195419,
        author = {VIDYADHARA VEDHA VARMAT T and Dr. RAJENDRAKUMAR HITTANAGI},
        title = {Consumer Protection and Platform Accountability in Indian E-Commerce: A Study with Reference to Judicial Precedents},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {755-765},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=195419},
        abstract = {The fast growth of the E-Commerce in India has altered the traditional consumer markets where the platform based digital transactions have improved access, convenience and economic development. But this change has also brought about a serious legal issue on consumer protection and platform responsibility. The rising rates of flawed products, fake commodities, false adverts and the lack of sufficient redress of grievances has identified the fragilities of online trading platforms. The Parliament in turn responded by enacting the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and then drafted the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, to update the regulatory system and deal with new challenges in the online economy. This research paper will conduct a doctrinal examination of the legislation that regulates consumer protection in Indian E-Commerce, especially platform liability. It looks at the examples of statutory regulations of product liability, unfair trade practices, disclosure requirements, and the authority of Central Consumer Protection Authority. The paper also examines the judicial precedents to compare the interpretations made by consumer forums and regulatory bodies and how they have applied to cases involving large E-Commerce platforms. The results suggest that there is a definite judicial move toward the old-fashioned view of the mere intermediary defence to a more accountable platform paradigm, particularly when the platforms have the control of the listing, payments, and delivery systems. Meanwhile, the liability is determined according to the adherence to statutory requirements in the 2019 Act and the 2020 Rules. The paper concludes that, although India has established a strong legal framework on digital consumer protection, enforcement, regulatory coexistence, and adaptation is still crucial to promote transparency, accountability, and confidence of the consumer in the emerging digital marketplace.},
        keywords = {Consumer Protection; E-Commerce; Platform Liability; Consumer Protection Act, 2019; E-Commerce Rules, 2020; Judicial Precedents; Platform Accountability.},
        month = {April},
        }