Consumer protection authority gets 3,940 explosive-substance listings removed from seven online platforms

19 October 2026

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has taken regulatory action against the online listing, hosting, advertising and facilitation of sale of regulated and hazardous explosive substances. The substances involved include Ammonium Nitrate, gunpowder, picric acid and PETN. In all, 3,940 sellers and listing entries were delisted from seven platforms: IndiaMART, TradeIndia, Dial4Trade, Justdial, Sigma-Aldrich India, ExportersIndia and Ibuychemikals. IndiaMART alone accounted for 3,092 of them, including 2,700 for Ammonium Nitrate. Dial4Trade was penalised Rs 10 lakh and its appeal was dismissed by the NCDRC after a hearing on 9 October 2026. ExportersIndia was penalised Rs 10 lakh on two separate counts. Platforms must now disclose the seller's valid PESO licence details and verify that the buyer is licensed before a sale. The action rests on the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, read with the Explosives Act, 1884 and the Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.