News Stocks JioStar Moves Supreme Court Against CCI Probe Over Alleged Abuse of Dominance in Kerala TV MarketJioStar Moves Supreme Court Against CCI Probe Over Alleged Abuse of Dominance in Kerala TV Market
JioStar has moved the Supreme Court challenging the CCI's investigation into alleged abuse of dominance in Kerala's TV distribution market, contesting the Kerala High Court's December 3, 2025 order that refused to stay the probe. The case stems from Asianet Digital Network's complaint alleging JioStar provided discriminatory discounts exceeding 50% to rival distributor KCCL through marketing agreements, violating TRAI's pricing regulations. The Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for January 27, with JioStar arguing jurisdictional grounds while the CCI maintains competition law applies alongside sectoral regulation.
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
Reliance Industries-owned streaming platform JioStar has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) probe into alleged abuse of dominance and discriminatory pricing in Kerala's television distribution market. The company has challenged a December 3, 2025 order of the Kerala High Court, which refused to stay the CCI's investigation and directed the regulator to complete the probe within eight weeks.
A bench led by Justice J.B. Pardiwala is set to hear JioStar's appeal on Tuesday, January 27.
Background of the Dispute
The case arises from a complaint by Asianet Digital Network, a major cable and TV distributor in Kerala. Asianet alleged that JioStar is dominant in the state because it controls several popular Malayalam entertainment channels and holds exclusive rights to major sporting events such as the IPL and international cricket.
Asianet claimed that JioStar misused this position by offering preferential and discriminatory discounts to rival Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd (KCCL), while denying similar terms to other distributors. The complainant alleged that JioStar effectively gave KCCL discounts of more than 50% by routing money through separate marketing or promotional agreements, despite TRAI rules limiting discounts to 35%.
Regulatory Violations Alleged
Under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) rules, broadcasters are allowed to give discounts only up to 35% and must follow a non-discriminatory pricing regime. However, Asianet alleged that these marketing arrangements were a sham used to return money to KCCL, giving it much lower effective channel prices.
| Allegation Details: | Description |
|---|---|
| Discount Limit Violation: | JioStar allegedly provided over 50% discounts vs TRAI's 35% limit |
| Method Used: | Routing money through separate marketing/promotional agreements |
| Impact on Competition: | KCCL gained cost advantage to offer cheaper packages and attract subscribers |
| Affected Party: | Asianet forced to pay higher prices for same content |
This cost advantage allegedly allowed KCCL to offer cheaper packages, attract subscribers and local cable operators, and gain market share, while Asianet was forced to pay higher prices for the same content.
CCI Investigation and Court Proceedings
After examining the complaint, the CCI in February 2022 found a prima facie case and ordered its director general to conduct a detailed investigation. The regulator clarified that this was only a preliminary step and did not amount to any finding of guilt against JioStar.
JioStar challenged the CCI's order before the high court mainly on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that the dispute relates to pricing and contractual issues governed by the TRAI Act and the 2017 Broadcasting Regulations. The company contended that since disputes between broadcasters and distributors fall within the jurisdiction of regulator TRAI and the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, the CCI should not have intervened.
Legal Timeline and Rulings
| Court Proceedings: | Outcome |
|---|---|
| CCI Prima Facie Order: | February 2022 - Investigation ordered |
| Single Judge Ruling: | May 2025 - Upheld CCI's investigation order |
| Division Bench Decision: | December 3, 2025 - Dismissed JioStar's appeal |
| Supreme Court Appeal: | Hearing scheduled January 27 |
In May 2025, a single judge of the Kerala High Court upheld the CCI's order to investigate, holding that competition law can apply alongside sectoral regulation and that TRAI's presence does not bar a probe into alleged abuse of dominance and discriminatory pricing. JioStar's appeal was later dismissed by a division bench of the Kerala High Court on December 3, 2025, leading the company to approach the Supreme Court.
JioStar's Market Position
JioStar was formed in November 2024 after Reliance Industries merged its media business with The Walt Disney Company's India operations in a deal valued at about $8.5 billion. The joint venture brought together Viacom18 and JioCinema with Star India and Disney+ Hotstar, with Reliance holding a controlling stake of around 63% while Disney owns about 36.84%.
According to JustWatch data for the April-June quarter of 2025, JioStar's streaming platform JioHotstar led India's subscription video-on-demand market with around a 25% share, followed by Amazon Prime Video with about 23%, Netflix with 19%, Apple TV+ with roughly 14%, ZEE5 with 10% and Sony LIV with 5%.
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