India, Sept. 12 -- New e-commerce rules will force platforms to answer for the way they treat consumers - from misleading discount labels and opaque search rankings to hidden charges and complaints that vanish into automated customer-care systems.

The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Amendment Rules, 2026, notified on September 9, come into force on January 1, 2027. They require platforms to hand consumers a copy of their recorded complaint, explain the main factors that determine search rankings, clearly identify sponsored listings, and - when advertising a price cut - display the lowest price at which the product was sold in the previous 30 days.

Consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare told HT the amendments were needed because the sec...