The recent decriminalization of certain sections of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, will significantly reduce barriers and foster business growth, allowing both citizens and businesses to operate without the “fear of imprisonment for minor violations,” stated the Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), Government of India. She was speaking at the inauguration of a Round Table Conference on “Ease of Doing Business and Protection of Consumer Rights” held on April 25, 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
In her keynote address, the Secretary emphasized the crucial role of the Legal Metrology departments in States and Union Territories in guaranteeing measurement accuracy for consumers. She stressed the necessity of ensuring correct weights and measures and highlighted India’s significant achievement of becoming the 13th country to issue OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) certificates, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to global standards.
She also urged State Legal Metrology departments to align their enforcement rules with the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, and to onboard the eMaap portal within one month. She also informed the attendees about the revised timeline for the implementation of the amended Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, set for January 1st and July 1st.
The Additional Secretary, DoCA, in his welcome address, underscored the importance of the conference as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaborative policy development in legal metrology. He also urged state officers to avoid procedural violations and uphold fairness and transparency.
The Joint Secretary, DoCA, provided an overview of key initiatives by the Legal Metrology Division, including the recent amendments in the Packaged Commodities Rules and the decriminalization of sections of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023. He advised state authorities to prioritize effective enforcement over revenue targets to better protect consumers through improved implementation of the Act and Rules.
The Joint Controller (Legal Metrology) of Andhra Pradesh, through a virtual presentation, highlighted initiatives like geo-tagging and weighbridge calibration for farmer protection. He also emphasized the effective enforcement of rules in gold bullion trade, upgrades to fuel dispensers with anti-tampering technology, enhancements to verification systems, simplified licensing, user-friendly net content check tools, standard operating procedures, and accurate milk procurement practices. Future plans include bringing gold caratage machines, lacto scan analyzers, and moisture meters under legal metrology rules, along with regular training for Legal Metrology Officers (LMOs) at national institutes.
During the discussions, Dr. Anant Sharma from Consumers World (VCO) advocated for strict enforcement against large-scale violations. He also raised concerns about the effectiveness of QR codes for mandatory declarations on packaged goods and suggested stricter rules with penalties based on company turnover.
Sh. Shirish Despande from another VCO highlighted issues of overcharging on essential commodities like milk and water in Maharashtra and the problem of dual MRPs. He requested an examination into potential consumer exploitation through exaggerated printed MRPs.
The representative from Uttar Pradesh shared best practices and actions taken against e-commerce platforms and their warehouses for violations. They reported the verification of weighing machines at 77,999 fair price shops for the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the booking of 516 cases against e-commerce platforms in 2024-25, resulting in the compounding of 364 cases and the recovery of around Rs 11 crore in compounding fees.
Dr. Ashish Agarwal, Chief Scientist at NPL, presented on the Time Dissemination project, and Sh. G. Mayil Muthu Kumaran, DDG at NIC, provided an overview of the eMaap portal. Best practices in Legal Metrology were also shared by representatives from Odisha, Punjab, and Goa.
The Round Table Conference facilitated significant knowledge exchange and collaboration among stakeholders, paving the way for a more effective Legal Metrology framework that supports both business growth and the protection of consumer rights in India. The event saw participation from approximately 250 individuals, including Controllers of Legal Metrology from various states, representatives from major industry associations (FICCI, RAI, ASSOCHAM, PHD, IBHA, CAIT, AIBA, CII), and Voluntary Consumer Organisations.
