CCI Extends Commitment Application and Proceeding Timelines Under 2026 Amendment Regulations

The Competition Commission of India has amended the procedural framework for commitment applications under the Competition Act, giving parties more time at several key stages while also creating a more structured process for curing defective filings.

The Competition Commission of India (Commitment) Amendment Regulations, 2026 amend the 2024 Commitment Regulations. CCI's official website lists the Gazette notification published in August 2026, while the notification text states that the amendments were issued on 18 August 2026 under sections 36 and 64 of the Competition Act, 2002 and came into force on publication in the Official Gazette.

What has changed in the commitment filing timeline

One of the most important changes is the extension of the time available for filing a commitment application. The period under regulation 3(3) has been increased from 45 days to 60 days. This gives an enterprise or other eligible applicant additional time to prepare the commitment proposal, supporting material and procedural filing after the relevant trigger under the Competition Act framework.

The amendment also changes how defective or deficient applications are handled. Where an application contains defects or deficiencies, it may be returned to the applicant for correction. The amended framework provides a 10-working-day period for rectification and refiling. The fee already paid on the original application is to be adjusted against the fee payable on refiling. If the defects are not cured within the specified period, the application can be treated as invalid.

CCI gets more time for preliminary consideration

The time available for the Commission's preliminary consideration of a complete commitment application has also been increased. The earlier 7-working-day period under regulation 4(1) has been extended to 15 working days.

This is operationally significant for legal, finance and compliance teams because the commitment process is designed as an alternative route for addressing competition concerns before an inquiry reaches its full course. A longer preliminary review window may reduce procedural pressure on both applicants and the regulator, but applicants still need to keep their supporting information complete and responsive.

Overall commitment proceeding window rises to 180 working days

The outer period for concluding commitment proceedings has been extended from 130 working days to 180 working days under the amended regulation 4 framework.

The amendment further clarifies that time taken, or extensions availed, by the applicant or another party for furnishing information, clarification or a response is excluded from the computation of this period. In practical terms, the clock does not simply run uninterrupted where the process is waiting on information from the parties.

If the commitment proceeding is not concluded within the stipulated period after applying the permitted exclusions, the underlying inquiry under section 26 is to resume in accordance with the regulatory framework.

Cross-references have also been updated

The 2026 amendment updates multiple references from the CCI (General) Regulations, 2009 to the CCI (General) Regulations, 2024. It also makes corresponding regulation-number changes in the commitment rules. These may look technical, but they matter when drafting applications, legal submissions and internal compliance checklists because parties should now use the current General Regulations and current cross-references.

What finance and compliance teams should do

- Update internal timelines: commitment filing trackers should reflect the new 60-day filing period rather than 45 days.

- Build in a defect-cure process: teams should be ready to correct and refile a returned application within 10 working days.

- Track information requests carefully: applicant-caused delays and extensions can affect computation of the 180-working-day proceeding period.

- Refresh templates: legal and compliance documents should use the CCI (General) Regulations, 2024 references reflected in the amended rules.

The amendment does not turn commitment proceedings into an open-ended process. Instead, it gives applicants and CCI more room at defined stages while preserving a structured timeline. For companies facing competition-law scrutiny, the most immediate action is to update procedural calendars, filing templates and review protocols so that the new 60-day, 15-working-day and 180-working-day timelines are used consistently.

Key takeaway

The amendment changes live procedural timelines for parties and advisers handling commitment applications before CCI and has immediate compliance relevance.