MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) issued an order on Monday against Northern India Motion Pictures Association (NIMPA) directing it to cease and desist from indulging in anti-competitive conduct.

According to a press release, the order has been issued in a case filed by Shri Ashtavinayak Cine Vision against NIMPA and other film associations alleging inter alia contravention of the provisions of sections 3 (anti-competitive agreements) of the Competition Act, 2002.

The Commission found NIMPA‘s practices of pressuring the distributors to settle the monetary disputes with its members to be in contravention of the provisions of Competition Act.

The Commission also directed NIMPA to file an undertaking regarding compliance of its order within a period of 30 days from the receipt of the order.

As NIMPA was already directed by the Commission in earlier cases to suitably modify its Articles of Association (AoA), rules and regulations and remove the condition of compulsory registration of films as a pre-condition for release, the Commission did not find it necessary to pass similar directions again in the present case.

The Commission also did not find it appropriate to impose any penalty upon NIMPA in light of the facts and circumstances of the present case.