Department of Weights and Measures is responsible for enforcement of the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and rules made thereunder including the Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011. The Act and Rules seeks to protect the consumers against cheating while sale of commodities and for providing the consumers with the required information to help him make informed decisions before buying any p
roduct. Major provisions of the Act include:
1. Weights and measures which are standard and duly verified should be used. Also, non-standard units must not be used in any advertisements, bills, vouchers, any packages or quotations.
2. All manufactures, importers, dealers and repairers of weights and measures must obtain license from the Controller of Legal Metrology of the State.
3. It is a punishable offense to sell, deliver or use any un-verified weight or measure. Such weights and measures may also be forfeited.
4. All pre-packaged commodities must bear statutory declarations on them in the prescribed manner. Manufacturers and packers also require registration.
5. Some offenses, not repeated within 3 years may be compounded by paying a fee as prescribed under the State Enforcement Rules. This may be done prior to or during any prosecution.
6. A company may nominate a Director who will be responsible for compliance of all rules and regulations. If no nomination is made, all the Directors will be charged for an offense.
7. Every decision or order of an officer of Legal Metrology will be appealable to the next higher authority within 60 days of passing the order or decision.
