NEW DELHI, Feb 13
A group of Indian startups and app developers requested Google not to delist their apps from Google Play Store until March 19 when their Special Leave Petition (SLP) will come up for hearing the Supreme Court.
The apex court had recently refused to restrain Google from “delisting” apps from its Play Store, thus enabling the search engine giant to remove apps of startups that don’t meet its billing policy. The court had agreed to hear the appeals challenging the billing policy which they claimed was “illegal”.
In their letter to Google, the app developers said they are completely dependent on the Play Store and any precipitative step by Google would be “extremely detrimental” to them.
“No irreparable harm or injury would be suffered by Google, in case it does not take any precipitative actions against any developers. We therefore request you to exercise restraint and not take any precipitation action to delist any apps from the Google Play Store,” the letter stated, reported Economic Times.
The startups, including Matrimony, had approached the Madras High Coutr against Google’s notice which asked them to adopt its User Choice Billing (UCB) policy or get delisted. After a single-bench of the court held that their pleas are ‘not maintainable’ they had challenged the order.
However, a two-judge bench dismissed the appeals against the billing policy. The developers filed a SLP against the Madras High Court judgment. The apex court directed the SLP to be listed on March 19, and refused to pass an interim order protecting the companies from being delisted.
