A fake review on JustDial. Thousands of potential customers see it every month.

JustDial Reviews and Indian Intermediary Law

JustDial is one of India's largest local business directories, with reviews that significantly influence consumer decisions for businesses ranging from restaurants and medical practitioners to legal firms and contractors. Unlike international platforms, JustDial is an Indian company headquartered in Mumbai, making it directly subject to the full force of Indian intermediary law — the IT Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

As an intermediary under Section 2(1)(w) of the IT Act, JustDial is required to observe due diligence under Rule 3 of the IT Rules 2021. This includes publishing rules on prohibited content, running a grievance mechanism and resolving complaints within the stipulated timeframes. JustDial's conditional safe harbour under Section 79 is contingent on these obligations — failing to resolve a valid complaint within the deadline, or to act on a court order, puts that protection at risk.

RepuLex uses JustDial's domestic jurisdiction directly. Legal notices go from our partner law firm to JustDial's registered office, court orders come from Indian courts with clear jurisdiction, and disobedience of a court order can be pursued as contempt.

Common Types of False JustDial Reviews

The most prevalent type of false JustDial review is competitor-planted negative feedback. In competitive local markets — particularly for doctors, dentists, lawyers, restaurants, and service businesses — competitors systematically post negative reviews to drive customers away. These reviews are often identifiable by their timing (clustered around the same period), their focus on aspects that promote a competitor's strengths, and their lack of specific details about actual service experiences.

Extortion-linked reviews are another significant category. Some individuals or groups post negative reviews and then contact the business offering to remove them for a fee. This can be criminal extortion under BNS 2023 s.308 (formerly IPC 383). RepuLex documents these extortion attempts as evidence, helps the client report them to law enforcement, and cites the criminal conduct as further grounds in the complaint to JustDial.

Reviews from individuals who never used the business's services also appear frequently on JustDial. These may be from personal grudges, business disputes unrelated to service quality, or simply mistaken identity (reviews posted on the wrong business listing). JustDial's own Terms of Service require reviews to be based on genuine service experiences, and reviews from non-customers can be challenged on this basis alone.

The RepuLex Removal Process for JustDial

Our process for JustDial reviews follows a three-stage escalation. Stage one: we file a detailed complaint through JustDial's business feedback and dispute mechanism, providing documented evidence that the review is false, defamatory, or posted by a non-customer. JustDial's internal review team assesses these complaints and removes reviews that clearly violate their policies.

Stage two: if the internal complaint process does not result in removal, we file a formal complaint under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2021 with JustDial's Grievance Officer (required under Rule 3(2)). The complaint identifies the specific review, cites the legal provisions violated, and asks for removal within the deadline the Rules set for that category of content. It creates a dated record that JustDial was told of the content, which matters in any subsequent proceedings, though it does not by itself make JustDial liable.

Stage three: if JustDial declines, the matter escalates to court through our partner law firm, which files in the client's name: a suit with an application for an interim injunction directing JustDial to remove the review, a criminal complaint under BNS 2023 s.356 (formerly IPC 499/500) against the reviewer (if identified), and an application for disclosure of the reviewer's identity. JustDial, as an Indian company, is directly subject to Indian court orders.

Impact of False JustDial Reviews on Local Businesses

For local businesses that depend on JustDial for customer acquisition, false negative reviews can cause direct, measurable financial harm. Studies show that even a half-star reduction in average rating can reduce customer inquiries by 5-10%. For medical practitioners, negative reviews can deter patients from seeking necessary treatment. For legal professionals, false reviews can undermine client trust before the first consultation.

RepuLex understands the urgency of JustDial review removal for local businesses. Our legal assessment process is designed to identify the strongest removal grounds quickly, and we prioritise cases where the false reviews are causing active, ongoing financial harm. Our published hospital-chain case study records five fake JustDial reviews removed within a 14-day engagement.

Preventing Future False Reviews on JustDial

Beyond removing existing false reviews, RepuLex advises businesses on protective measures. This includes claiming and verifying your JustDial business listing (which provides greater control over the listing and access to JustDial's business tools), setting up monitoring alerts for new reviews, and establishing a review response protocol that addresses negative reviews professionally without making legally problematic admissions.

For businesses facing sustained review attacks, we implement ongoing monitoring and rapid response protocols. New problematic reviews are flagged immediately, assessed for legal viability, and addressed through the fastest available channel. Combined with the deterrent effect of successful legal action against previous false reviewers, this creates a comprehensive defence against review manipulation on JustDial.