Title: A study on the collective dominance concept and its application in the Indian radio-taxi market

Authors: Amit Ghosh; Soumadip Kundu; Sulagna Das

Addresses: Surendaranth Law College, 24/2 Mahatma Gandhi Road, P.S. Muchipara, P.O. Park Street H.O, Kolkata, 700009, West Bengal, India; Affiliated to: University of Calcutta, India ' School of Juridical Sciences, JIS University Kolkata, 81, Nilgunj Road, Agarpara, P.O-Agarpara, P.S-Belgharia, Kolkata-700109, West Bengal, India ' School of Management Studies, JIS University Kolkata, 81, Nilgunj Road, Agarpara, P.O-Agarpara, P.S-Belgharia, Kolkata-700109, West Bengal, India

Abstract: The radio-taxi market is a market where customers through internet facilities can book a taxi to reach their desirable destiny within a reasonable price charged by the aggregator. By using the internet platform, the aggregator enterprises have engaged several taxi owners and drivers and the enterprises are providing these e-taxi services to the consumers. The competition commission, dealt with information alleging anti-competitive-agreement and abuse of dominance when Meru Cabs, one of the radio-taxi service providers, filed information against Uber and OLA too. Commission was of the view that Uber did not do any unfair practice but competition appellate tribunal, the appellate body made an opposite view contrasting to commission. The paper tries to analyse the abuse of collective dominance created by OLA and Uber in the radio-taxi market in India. The paper also highlights the international scenario and laws related to collective dominance in the European market.

Keywords: radio taxi; competition; relevant market; collective dominance; abuse of dominance; anti-competitive agreement; economy; appreciable adverse effect; transport; appellate authority.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLAP.2024.135207

International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2024 Vol.10 No.1, pp.91 - 104

Received: 01 Aug 2022
Accepted: 25 Sep 2022
Published online: 02 Dec 2023 *