NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Sunday revoked permission given to e-commerce players to sell non-essential commodities from 20 April. These companies can only sell essential items till the end of the national lockdown on 3 May.

The ministry's decision comes just days after it had allowed these companies to sell non-essentials, if vehicles carrying such products had the necessary permissions and passes.

In a fresh directive issued by home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the ministry questioned the supply of non-essential products, and their point-to-point pick up and delivery in the supply-chain route.

As per the revised order, the ministry has excluded the clause, which had earlier specified, "e-commerce companies and vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions," in its guidelines issued on 15 April.

The government had first imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown, effective 25 March until 14 April. With the rising number of cases in the country, the government extended the lockdown till 3 May.

Earlier this month, the ministry had also directed states to allow smooth passage of trucks carrying both essential and non-essential goods, along with empty trucks to pick up goods for distribution.

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