1. The present information has been filed by Shri Shailesh Kumar ('the informant') under section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002 ('the Act') against M/s Tata Chemicals Limited ('the opposite party No. 1'/TCL), M/s DCW Limited ('the opposite party No. 2'/DCW), M/s Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Limited ('the opposite party No. 3'/GHCL), M/s Nirma Limited ('the opposite party No. 4'/Nirma) and M/s Saurashtra Chemical Limited (the opposite party No. 5'/SCL) alleging inter alia contravention of the provisions of section 3 of the Act.

2. Shorn of details, facts, as stated in the information, may be briefly noted:

2.1 The informant alleged cartelization by the aforesaid enterprises in the market of manufacturing and sale of soda ash in India under the umbrella of Alkali Manufacturers Association of India (AMAI).

2.2 It was alleged that the opposite parties, under the aegis of AMAI, formed a cartel with a view to manipulate prices and volume of production of soda ash in India by sharing information relating to data on production, installed capacity, capacity utilization, capacity expansions including data on demand and supply, imports, exports, international prices in violation of the provisi