Legal Metrology

The regulation for registration as an importer of weighing and measuring devices has been defined in the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011. The provision is defined in Chapter VI, Rules 27 and 29. An importer of measuring instruments willing to enter the Indian market needs to register to obtain the Certificate of Registration of Importer of Weights and Measures.

The Department of Consumer Affairs released a notification pertaining to the crucial activities or decisions taken for March 2021. The decisions/activities are broadly related to the following three departments:
Bureau of Indian Standards
Price Monitoring
Consumer Protection

The Covid 19 pandemic has affected most of the healthcare sectors as well as the manufacturing sectors. Due to increased demand during the pandemic, the manufacturing supply chains are facing immense challenges to meet the high demand. The Central Government has made declarations for the importers of medical devices which provides some relaxation to speed up the supply process according to the rules which come under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

The penalties in the rules are the violation of manufacturing of non-standard Weights & Measures, counterfeiting of seal, short weighment or measurement, use of non-verified weights & measures, not making declarations by the manufacturers on the packaged commodities. The penalty is charged depending upon the nature of offence committed by the accused. The non-compoundable offences are sent to court of law for trial.