India’s Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) ordered Just Dial to pay ₹10 lakh (1 million rupees) after finding that ammonium nitrate listings lacked disclosures on licensing and safety restrictions.
The authority said users could not determine from the listings whether sellers had licenses, who could legally buy the material or how a transaction could be traced. It also found that the pages omitted safety warnings and information about legal restrictions on possession or use, potentially making the regulated product appear freely available.
The CCPA said ammonium nitrate is classified as an explosive under India’s Explosives Act, 1884. Its order directs Just Dial to stop listing the substance and other regulated explosives, or otherwise facilitating access to them.
Just Dial argued that it operated a directory rather than a marketplace and that vendors were responsible for obtaining permissions. The company also said the listings concerned fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate. The CCPA rejected those arguments, citing paid seller campaigns, verification labels and tools that let users contact sellers or request prices.
In setting the fine at the maximum for a first contravention, the authority cited public-safety concerns, the platform’s nationwide reach and how long the listings remained available. It also said Just Dial had not shown that it took legal action against the seller.
In an Oct. 29 exchange disclosure, Just Dial said it had discontinued the listings and was reviewing the order. The company described the penalty as its only financial impact and said its operations and other activities were unaffected.
A Ministry of Consumer Affairs release on Oct. 19, reporting the CCPA’s wider review, said seven platforms reported a combined 3,940 sellers and listing entries, and that the listings had been delisted. The figure combines seller and listing counts; the Ministry listed 206 ammonium nitrate sellers for Just Dial. The order requires Just Dial to submit a compliance report within 15 days of receiving it.
