New Delhi, [India] September 16 (ANI): The government has decriminalised several provisions under the Legal Metrology framework and introduced improvement notices for minor technical violations, Additional Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs Anupam Mishra said, as part of efforts to reduce criminal penalties for procedural lapses while retaining safeguards against serious violations.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry event, Mishra said the key changes include decriminalisation and the introduction of improvement notices.
“The major takeaways were the decriminalization that has happened in the Legal Metrology Act,” Mishra said, adding that provisions relating to short weights and tampering with standard weights continue to be treated separately.
“For many technical minor violations under the Legal Metrology Act, the first penalty basically which used to be criminal and there used to be fine, now it would be an improvement notice,” he said.
Mishra said state governments now need to align their enforcement rules with the changes made in the Act. Several states have already framed revised rules, while others are in the process of notifying them, he added.
He also said the earlier licensing requirement for repairers, manufacturers and dealers has been replaced with a registration system.
On strengthening measurement and time standards, Mishra said atomic clocks have been installed at five Regional Reference Standards Laboratories in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Faridabad, Guwahati and Bhubaneswar.
“We have put atomic clocks basically which would be used as a reference from where other centres and other technical [facilities] could take time,” he said.
Atomic clocks provide highly precise reference time by measuring the stable frequency of atoms and can be used for standardisation and calibration purposes.
Mishra also highlighted the expansion of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs), which act as third-party laboratories for verification of notified measuring instruments.
“So far there are around 50-51 GATCs which have been recognized. And going forward we had also invited applications for other GATCs to be set up,” he said.
He added that the Centre is encouraging state governments to frame rules and establish similar testing centres.
On consumer protection in the digital economy, Mishra said the Central Consumer Protection Authority had notified guidelines in 2023 identifying 13 dark patterns, including practices such as false urgency and subscription traps.
He said e-commerce platforms are required to maintain a consumer grievance redressal mechanism and acknowledge complaints within 48 hours. Consumers can also approach the National Consumer Helpline on toll-free number 1915 if a company does not respond, he added.
Ranjit Mehta, Secretary General of PHDCCI, said decriminalisation should not be seen as deregulation and stressed the need to protect both consumers and compliant businesses.
“Decriminalization does not necessarily mean deregulation. It is very important to regulate and it is very important to protect the consumer rights,” Mehta said.
At the same time, he said honest businesses should not be penalised for minor procedural errors and should be given an opportunity to correct them.
“We must make sure that honest businesses must not be penalized for small errors or procedural lapses,” Mehta said. (ANI)
Legal metrology reforms shift minor violations to improvement notices; atomic clocks installed at five labs
