Centre issues 63 show cause notices to the manufactures/importers of weighing and measuring instruments to seek details of compliance

Centre, through Department of Legal Metrology has issued 63 show cause notices to the manufacturers/importers of the weighing and measuring instruments for seeking details of compliance. The notices were issued to manufacturers/ importers/ sellers on e-commerce platforms, seeking details of the approval of model, manufacturing/importer/dealer license and verification of weighing scales.

It has been observed that some manufacturers/importers of the weighing & measuring instruments are selling the Person Weighing Machines & Kitchen Scales etc on the e-commerce platforms without complying with the provisions of Law.  Such unauthorized sales on e-commerce sites have not only created deficiency in service to the consumer but have also caused revenue loss to the Government.

To protect and safeguard the interest of consumers, the manufacturers/importers of the weighing & measuring instrument are required to get the approval of model (Section 22) of their weighing & measuring instrument, manufacturing license (Section 23)/ importer registration (Section 19) and verification/stamping of weighing & measuring instrument (Section 24) under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.

Further the declarations on the pre package/e commerce platform of the weighing & measuring instrument need to comply the provisions (Rule 6) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011.

The approval of model of the weighing & measuring instruments, manufacturing license/importer registration and verification/stamping of weighing & measuring instruments is mandatory in the interest of consumers and to regulate trade & commerce in weights, measures and other goods sold by weight measure or number. Further the mandatory declaration of the product needs to be made on the pre-package commodity/e–commerce platform for the consumers to make an informed choice.

The manufacturer/importer is required to maintain the records of the number of weighing & measuring instrument and their parts manufactured/ imported, sold/distributed and the details of verification fees paid to the Government.

Violation of these provisions of the Legal Metrology Act is punishable under Section 32 (Failure to get approval of model), Section 45 (penalty for manufacture of weight and measure without license), Section 38 (Penalty for non-registration by importer of weight or measure), Section 33 (Penalty for use of unverified weight or measure) and Section 36 (Penalty for selling, etc., of non-standard packages) with fine or imprisonment or with both.

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