Flipkart, Amazon, others can’t sell non-essential items in lockdown; govt revises e-commerce rules

Days after the government had allowed e-commerce companies such as Amazon, Flipkart and others to operate under the current lockdown without stating any distinction between delivery of essential and non-essential goods, it has now revised the order. In its latest notification on Sunday, the Home Affairs Ministry has prohibited the supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies during lockdown 2.0. Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in the notification to all state chief secretaries and secretaries of ministries and government departments said “sub-clause (v) under clause 14 on commercial and private establishments” has been excluded from the consolidated revised guidelines. The sub-clause (v) referred to “e-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.”

The order was tweeted by the ministry’s spokesperson saying “supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies to remain prohibited during lockdown2 to fight Covid-19.” In its April 15, 2020 order, the home ministry had said commercial and private establishments including e-commerce companies will be allowed to operate during the lockdown. As a result, Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal others, which were so far delivering essential items only including grocery, healthcare and hygiene products, etc. were preparing to resume their operations on full-scale post April 20.