What is the remedy for an application developer, in case its app is removed by Google from play store?  The competition Act,2002

M/s Zucol Solutions Private Limited v. Google India Private Limited

(Competition Commission of India – Case No. 17/2025) –

The Informant’s allegation was that its Google Developer Account (‘GDA’) in the Google Play platform was, on 20.09.2023, without giving any prior notice or intimation

terminated stating that the said account was violating Google’s Developer Program Policies (‘DPP’) and Developer Distribution Agreement (‘DDA’).

It was alleged that the OP (Google) has not identified specific provisions within the DPP or the DDA that the Informant is purported to have violated. Furthermore, the OP had expressly cautioned the Informant against creating a new developer account, stating that any such account shall also be subject to immediate termination. According to the Informant, this warning effectively prohibits the Informant from re-entering the market and amounts to a denial of access to the Android app distribution ecosystem.  The Informant has alleged that OP is leveraging its dominant position, as for Android users, the Play Store remains the only trusted platform, and restricting access undermines fair competition and consumer choice.

On hearing both sides, the Commission held that, the present matter is a case of individual grievance of a developer involving violation of Play Policies, where redressal has already been availed of through OP’s appeal mechanism.

The commission refused to interfere with the outcome of appeal mechanism provided by the OP (google).