• The Department of Consumer Affairs has allowed the electronic industry to declare some mandatory details on the label through QR code on products manufactured after July 15 for a period of one year.

• But the industry, however, will have to declare on the package itself the mandatory details like maximum retail price (MRP), phone number and email address.

• These amendments have been brought under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 and notified effective from July 14.

• Earlier, many declarations were to be provided on the package itself under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. 

• The additional mandatory declarations such as the address of the manufacturer or packer or importer, the common or generic name of the commodity, the size and dimension of the commodity and customer care are allowed through QR code.

• If provided through a QR code, there should be a declaration on the package informing consumers to scan the QR code for other related details.

• The option is given for one year because the government is trying to use the technology for the first time on a pilot basis and will decide to extend it based on the feedback.

Legal metrology laws

• Legal metrology (weights and measures) laws form the basis of commercial transactions in any civilised society.

• Metrology is the science of measurement and its application.

Precision and accuracy in measurement plays a very vital role in day to day life. A transparent and efficient legal metrology system inspires confidence in trade, industry and consumer and brings harmonious environment for conducting business by way of:

i) Contribution to the economy of the country by increasing the revenue in various sectors. 

ii) Playing important role in reducing the revenue losses in the coal, mines, industries, petroleum and railways.

iii) Reduction of the loss and wastage in the infrastructure sector.

• The work performed by the legal metrology therefore, is vital to the public interest. 

• ‘Pre-packaged commodity’ is defined under the Act as, “a commodity which without the purchaser being present is placed in a package of whatever nature, whether sealed or not, so that the product contained therein has a pre-determined quantity”.

• To ensure accuracy of measurement in such transactions, the government has enacted legislation namely, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 . The said Act is unified Act of two repealed acts namely the Standards of Weights & Measures Act, 1976 & the Standards of Weights & Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985. 

• The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 has come into force with effect from April 1, 2011. Rules have been formulated for better implementation of the Act.

• The government ensures through the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 that all weights and measures used for transaction and protection are accurate and reliable so that users are guaranteed for correct weighment and measurement. This in turn enables the consumer to get the right quantity for which he/she has paid for.

• The central government has made seven rules for the better implementation of the Act. 

• The state governments have also framed their Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules. 

The following Legal Metrology Rules have been framed under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 for protection of consumer interest:

1) The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011

2) The Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011

3) The Legal Metrology (Approval of Models) Rules, 2011

4) The Legal Metrology (National Standards) Rules, 2011

5) The Legal Metrology (Numeration) Rules, 2011

6) The Indian Institute of Legal Metrology Rules, 2011

7) The Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013.

• The department has adopted technical specifications of weighing and measuring instruments in the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 in accordance with the recommendations of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML). 

• Director, legal metrology is a statutory authority with powers and responsibilities prescribed under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 relating to inter-state trade and commerce of weights and measures including pre-packaged commodities. 

• The director is also responsible for establishing standards of legal metrology and maintaining traceability of standards relating to legal metrology. 

• The enforcement of legal metrology laws is done by the state governments by the Controller of Legal Metrology and other Legal Metrology Officers as per the provisions of Act.

• The central government has established six functioning Regional Reference Standards Laboratories (RRSLs) at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad ,Guwahati and Varanasi. These RRSLs serve as a vital link in dissemination of the values of national standards of legal metrology down to the commercial level. The laboratories maintain reference standards of appropriate accuracy for verification of legal standards of the states, calibration of weighing and measuring instruments, model approval tests of weighing and measuring instruments, training and seminars on weights and measures. Each laboratory provides calibration service to the industries in the region.

• Indian Institute of Legal Metrology, Ranchi is the national centre for imparting professional training to the legal metrology officers.

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