The Department of Consumer Affairs organized a round table conference to address legal metrology reforms and their role in improving ease of business while strengthening consumer rights. Officials emphasized that decriminalizing sections of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, will eliminate barriers, foster business growth, and remove the threat of imprisonment for minor violations.
The Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs highlighted the importance of adopting the latest IT advancements to enhance measurement accuracy and efficiency. She noted that India has become the 13th country to issue International Organization of Legal Metrology certificates, affirming its commitment to global standards. State Legal Metrology departments were urged to align enforcement rules with the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, and integrate their operations with the eMaap portal within a month.
The Additional Secretary emphasized the necessity of fair and transparent enforcement, cautioning against procedural violations. A detailed presentation on recent initiatives underscored amendments in the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, and the impact of decriminalization under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023. State authorities were encouraged to prioritize effective enforcement over revenue targets, strengthening consumer protection.
Representatives from Andhra Pradesh presented initiatives such as geo-tagging weighbridges for farmer protection, enhanced fuel dispensing units with anti-tampering technology, streamlined licensing procedures, and improved net content verification tools. Future plans include bringing Gold Caratage Machines and Lacto Scan Analyzers under legal metrology regulations while expanding training programs at national institutes.
Consumer advocacy groups raised concerns about large-scale violations and the need for stricter penalties based on company turnover. They debated the effectiveness of QR codes for labeling mandatory declarations and called for stronger rules against exaggerated maximum retail pricing.
Officials from Uttar Pradesh shared enforcement strategies against e-commerce violations, noting that action against online platforms resulted in hundreds of cases and significant penalty recoveries. The verification of weighing machines at thousands of fair price shops was highlighted as a step toward ensuring fairness in public distribution systems.
Industry leaders and consumer protection advocates joined discussions on streamlining regulatory processes and improving enforcement mechanisms. Experts presented technological innovations such as the Time Dissemination project and digital upgrades in metrology practices. Best practices from states including Odisha, Punjab, and Goa were also shared.
The conference, attended by over 250 participants, served as a forum for collaboration, offering solutions to balance business-friendly regulations with consumer rights. The evolving legal metrology framework aims to drive compliance, support economic progress, and safeguard public interests.
