The Centre has issued 63 show cause notices to the manufacturers and importers of weighing and measuring instruments for seeking details of compliance.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry issued the show cause notices through the Department of Legal Metrology to manufacturers, importers, and sellers on e-commerce platforms, seeking details of the approval of the model, manufacturing/importer/dealer license, and verification of weighing scales.

According to a statement by the ministry, some manufacturers or importers of weighing and measuring instruments are seen selling Person Weighing Machines, Kitchen Scales, etc. on the e-commerce platforms without complying with the provisions of the law. Such unauthorized sales on e-commerce sites have not only created a deficiency in service to the consumer but have also caused revenue loss to the Government, it stated.

The ministry said the manufacturers or importers of the weighing and measuring instrument are required to get the approval of the 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, to protect and safeguard the interest of consumers.

Also, the declarations on the pre-package/e-commerce platform of the weighing and measuring instrument need to comply with the provisions (Rule 6) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011, it stated

In the interest of the consumers, the approval of the model of the weighing and measuring instruments, manufacturing license/importer registration, and verification/stamping of weighing and measuring instruments is mandatory. This is also to regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods sold by weight measure or number, it stated.

Also, 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, it stated.

Violation of these provisions of the Legal Metrology Act is punishable under Section 32 (Failure to get the approval of model), Section 45 (the penalty for the manufacture of weight and measure without a license), Section 38 (Penalty for non-registration by the 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, the ministry added.