Competition Act, 2002 As Amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023

This 2026 edition of The Competition Act, 2002 (Act 12 of 2003) reproduces the statute verbatim and fully consolidates the sweeping Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023, w.e.f. 18-5-2023), which ushers in deal-value merger thresholds, “hub-and-spoke” cartel liability, and new settlement / commitment mechanisms.

Bound-in subsidiary legislation (complete texts)
• CCI (General) Regulations, 2009
• CCI (Procedure in Regard to the Transaction of Business Relating to Combinations) Regulations, 2011 (as amended up to 2023)
• CCI (Lesser Penalty) Regulations, 2009 (leniency programme, rev. 2022)
• CCI (DG’s Office & Investigation) Regulations, 2011
• Competition Commission of India (Commitment) Regulations, 2024 & (Settlement) Regulations, 2024
• CCI (Director General’s Salary, Allowances & Conditions of Service) Rules, 2020
• CCI (Manner of Recovery of Monetary Penalty) Regulations, 2011 – plus all subsequent amendments

Brief, practice-oriented short comments follow pivotal provisions—flagging the 2023 hike in penalty caps (up to 10 % of global turnover), introduction of behavioural-remedy undertakings, and fast-track merger-review timelines—while preserving the Bare-Act integrity required for exams and authoritative citation.

Core statutory coverage

• Anti-competitive agreements – cartels (incl. hub-and-spoke), bid-rigging, vertical restraints, and RPM presumptions.
• Abuse of dominant position – exploitative & exclusionary conduct, relevant-market tests, and penalty guidelines.
• Merger control – asset & turnover thresholds, new ₹ 2,000 cr deal-value threshold, Form II/III filing rules, Phase I & II review clocks.
• Settlement & commitment – eligibility, timelines, confidentiality ring, and non-recidivism undertakings (2024 regulations).
• Penalties & leniency – individual-director liability, marker system, and 20 % “quick-settle” discount.
• CEC appellate structure – NCLAT appeals, Supreme-Court stay norms, and Deposit-of-Penalty Rules.

This edition is particularly suited for

• AIBE candidates & law students specialising in competition and corporate-commercial law.
• In-house counsel, law-firm practitioners & economists advising on merger notifications, cartel defence, and abuse investigations.
• Start-ups, VC/PE investors & tech platforms navigating the new deal-value filing trigger and data-dominance concerns.
• Policy analysts, compliance officers & journalists tracking India’s antitrust-enforcement landscape.

Exact Gazette text · pinpoint explanatory notes · no superfluous commentary—your quickest route to clarity, authenticity, and practical insight for India’s antitrust regime.