Amazon turns down Parliament panel's summon, faces action

 BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, who heads the panel, told media persons, "Amazon has refused to appear before the panel on October 28 and if no one on behalf of the e-commerce company appears before the panel it amounts to breach of privilege."   

E-commerce giant Amazon is reportedly staring at coercive action after it refused to appear before a joint parliamentary committee looking into the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.

According to sources, Amazon's action amounts to "breach of privilege of Parliament".

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, who heads the panel, told media persons, "Amazon has refused to appear before the panel on October 28 and if no one on behalf of the e-commerce company appears before the panel it amounts to breach of privilege." 

"Amazon is doing huge business in India. If it doesn't appear before the committee, coercive action may be initiated against it," she added.

Media reports said Amazon officials claimed that their 'subject matter experts are overseas' and cited travel risks due to which they cannot appear.

The parliamentary panel, however, has decided to send a privilege notice if they do not turn up.

The draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, which was introduced in Parliament last year, empowers the government to ask companies -- Facebook, Google and others -- for anonymous personal and non-personal data.

Officials from Facebook appeared before the panel today to present their views. Twitter officials will follow suit on October 28.