Amazon, Flipkart & Others Delist Walkie-Talkie After Govt’s Advice
In a recent move, Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, JioMart, and other e-commerce platforms have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from their websites. This decision comes after the Centre issued guidelines for the prevention of unauthorized sale of radio communication devices online. As per the guidelines, walkie-talkies operating within permitted frequency bands can interfere with communication systems used by government bodies and other essential services.
The guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Communications, aim to regulate the online sale of radio equipment, including walkie-talkies. The move is seen as a step towards ensuring the security and integrity of communication systems in the country.
Walkie-talkies, also known as handheld transceivers, are used for short-range radio communication. They are popular among outdoor enthusiasts, event organizers, and businesses for their ability to facilitate instant communication over short distances. However, unregulated sale of walkie-talkies can pose a risk to the country’s communication infrastructure.
The guidelines mandate that only walkie-talkies operating within permitted frequency bands can be sold online. The frequency bands allocated for commercial use are 446.0-446.2 MHz, 461.0-461.2 MHz, and 467.0-467.2 MHz. The guidelines also require e-commerce platforms to ensure that only walkie-talkies with valid type-approval certificates from the Indian Telegraph Act are sold online.
In a statement, the Ministry of Communications said, “The sale of radio equipment, including walkie-talkies, is regulated by the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. The sale of such equipment without valid type-approval certificates is illegal and can pose a risk to the security and integrity of the country’s communication systems.”
The guidelines also require e-commerce platforms to display a warning message on their websites, stating that the sale of unauthorized radio equipment is illegal and can result in legal action. The platforms are also required to remove listings of walkie-talkies that do not comply with the guidelines.
Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, and JioMart have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from their websites, in compliance with the guidelines. Myntra, another e-commerce platform, has also removed walkie-talkie listings from its website.
The move is seen as a step towards ensuring the security and integrity of communication systems in the country. The guidelines are expected to prevent the unauthorized sale of walkie-talkies and ensure that only compliant devices are sold online.
In a statement, a Flipkart spokesperson said, “We take the guidelines issued by the government seriously and have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from our website. We will continue to comply with the guidelines and ensure that only compliant devices are sold on our platform.”
Amazon, in a statement, said, “We are committed to complying with the guidelines issued by the government. We have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from our website and will continue to ensure that only compliant devices are sold on our platform.”
Meesho, in a statement, said, “We are committed to complying with the guidelines issued by the government. We have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from our website and will continue to ensure that only compliant devices are sold on our platform.”
JioMart, in a statement, said, “We are committed to complying with the guidelines issued by the government. We have removed flagged walkie-talkie listings from our website and will continue to ensure that only compliant devices are sold on our platform.”
The guidelines are seen as a step towards ensuring the security and integrity of communication systems in the country. The move is expected to prevent the unauthorized sale of walkie-talkies and ensure that only compliant devices are sold online.
