This is a landmark judgment from 2023 that settled a major question in Indian competition law.
In the case of Coal India Ltd.
v.
Competition Commission of India, the Supreme Court held that the Competition Act, 2002, is applicable to state-owned monopolies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Coal India had argued that since it was a state monopoly created by a nationalization act, it was exempt from the purview of competition law.
The Supreme Court rejected this argument, stating that all entities, regardless of whether they are public or private, are subject to the rules of fair competition if they are engaged in economic activity.