UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC sets aside ₹202-cr. penalty on Amazon in Future Coupons case
Q1. The regulation of 'combinations' (mergers, amalgamations and stake acquisitions above prescribed thresholds) under the Competition Act, 2002 is administered by the Competition Commission of India, which functions under which one of the following Union ministries?
- A. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
- B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- C. Ministry of Finance
- D. Ministry of Law and Justice
Q2. Following the recent amendment, a notified combination shall not come into effect (the standstill period) until the expiry of how many days from the date on which notice is given to the Competition Commission of India?
- A. 30 days
- B. 90 days
- C. 150 days
- D. 210 days
Q3. An appeal against an order passed by the Competition Commission of India lies, in the first instance, to which one of the following bodies?
- A. National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)
- B. Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT)
- C. Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)
- D. Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
Q4. Under the Competition Act, 2002, the Chairperson and Members of the Competition Commission of India are appointed from a panel recommended by a Selection Committee. Who heads this Selection Committee?
- A. The Chief Justice of India or his nominee
- B. The Prime Minister of India
- C. The President of India
- D. The Cabinet Secretary
Q5. The May 2026 Supreme Court judgment setting aside the Rs 202-crore penalty on Amazon was delivered by a two-judge Bench. The judgment was authored by which one of the following judges?
- A. Justice Vikram Nath
- B. Justice Sandeep Mehta
- C. Justice B.R. Gavai
- D. Justice Surya Kant
Q6. With reference to the Supreme Court's May 2026 judgment in the Amazon–Future Coupons matter, consider the following statements:
1. The Court set aside the Rs 202-crore penalty imposed on Amazon by the CCI.
2. The Bench comprised Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.
3. The Court also set aside the NCLAT order of June 2022 that had rejected Amazon's appeal.
4. The Court held that any amount already recovered from Amazon need not be refunded.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- The Court set aside the Rs 202-crore penalty imposed on Amazon by the CCI.
- The Bench comprised Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.
- The Court also set aside the NCLAT order of June 2022 that had rejected Amazon's appeal.
- The Court held that any amount already recovered from Amazon need not be refunded.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q7. In the Amazon–Future–Reliance dispute, which one of the following was the first legal step Amazon took to block Future Group's proposed sale of retail assets to Reliance Retail?
- A. Invoking emergency arbitration before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre
- B. Filing a complaint before the Competition Commission of India
- C. Moving the Supreme Court against the deal
- D. Filing a suit before the Delhi High Court
Q8. The contractual disputes between Amazon and Future Group over the 2019 investment agreement were to be arbitrated under the rules of which one of the following institutions?
- A. Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
- B. London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- C. International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Paris
- D. Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), The Hague
Q9. With reference to the CCI's regulatory and penalty powers over combinations, consider the following statements:
1. Under Section 43A, the CCI may impose a penalty up to 1% of the total turnover or assets of the combination for failure to give notice.
2. Under Section 44, the minimum penalty for a false or omitted material statement by a party to a combination is fifty lakh rupees.
3. Appeals against the CCI's penalty orders lie to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.
4. Once the CCI grants approval to a combination, it can never revisit or revoke that approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Under Section 43A, the CCI may impose a penalty up to 1% of the total turnover or assets of the combination for failure to give notice.
- Under Section 44, the minimum penalty for a false or omitted material statement by a party to a combination is fifty lakh rupees.
- Appeals against the CCI's penalty orders lie to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.
- Once the CCI grants approval to a combination, it can never revisit or revoke that approval.
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q10. The Rs 202-crore penalty imposed on Amazon by the CCI for alleged suppression and misrepresentation regarding its Future Coupons investment was levied under which one of the following statutes?
- A. The Competition Act, 2002
- B. The Companies Act, 2013
- C. The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999
- D. The Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992
Q11. Under India's FDI policy, foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail trading is permitted, under the Government approval route, up to what maximum percentage?
- A. 26%
- B. 49%
- C. 51%
- D. 100%
Q12. Under Section 53T of the Competition Act, 2002, an appeal against an order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal may be filed before the Supreme Court within how many days?
- A. 30 days
- B. 45 days
- C. 60 days
- D. 90 days