Legal Metrology Rules Will Forgive First Offences

Ø Major Reform to Promote Ease of Doing Business and Trust-Based Governance

Ø First-time procedural and regulatory mistakes can now be corrected before penalty action

Ø Reform reduces compliance burden while keeping consumer protection strong

· The Department of Consumer Affairs has introduced an Improvement Notice mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.

· The mechanism allows businesses committing specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances to rectify deficiencies before penal proceedings are initiated.

· The reform aims to promote Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) by encouraging voluntary compliance, reducing unnecessary litigation and fostering a trust-based regulatory framework.

· It applies to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs and other regulated entities covered under the Legal Metrology Act.

· Serious violations such as fraud, repeated offences, tampering and acts adversely affecting consumer interests will continue to attract strict enforcement.

What is an Improvement Notice?

· A Legal Metrology Officer may issue an Improvement Notice identifying a first-time procedural or regulatory deficiency and provide reasonable time for rectification.

· If the business complies within the prescribed period, penal action and litigation can be avoided.

· Failure to comply with the notice or repeated violations will invite action under the Legal Metrology Act.

Objectives of the Reform

· Encourage voluntary compliance and timely self-correction.

· Provide businesses an opportunity to rectify genuine first-time procedural lapses.

· Reduce unnecessary litigation arising from inadvertent compliance errors.

· Lower compliance costs and improve regulatory certainty.

· Enable enforcement authorities to focus on deliberate, repeated and consumer-harming violations.

Areas Covered Under the Improvement Notice Mechanism

The mechanism applies to specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances relating to:

· Registration requirements.

· Documentation and record maintenance.

· Model approval.

· Manufacture, sale and repair of weights and measures.

· Import of weights and measures.

· Transactions and packaged commodities.

· Submission of statutory information and returns.

Relevant Legal Metrology Act Provisions Covered

The Improvement Notice mechanism covers specified first-time non-compliances under:

· Section 25 – Use of non-standard weights or measures.

· Section 27 – Manufacture or sale of non-standard weights or measures.

· Section 28 – Transactions violating prescribed standards.

· Section 29 – Quoting or publishing non-standard units.

· Section 31 – Non-production of documents.

· Section 32 – Failure to obtain model approval.

· Section 34 – Sale or delivery using non-standard weights or measures.

· Section 35 – Rendering services using non-standard weight, measure or number.

· Section 36(1) – Sale of non-standard packaged commodities.

· Section 38 – Import of weights and measures without registration.

· Section 39 – Import of non-standard weights and measures.

· Sections 41(1) & 41(2) – Furnishing false information or returns.

· Section 45 – Manufacture of weights and measures without registration.

· Section 46 – Repair, sale or dealing in weights and measures without registration.

· Section 47 – Tampering with a Registration Certificate.

Consumer Protection Remains Unchanged

· The Department clarified that the mechanism does not weaken consumer protection or dilute enforcement under the Legal Metrology Act.

· It applies only to specified first-time procedural and regulatory non-compliances, while serious and repeated violations will continue to face legal action.

Significance

· The reform supports the Government's vision of "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" by promoting trust-based regulation.

· It seeks to create a transparent, predictable and business-friendly regulatory ecosystem while safeguarding consumer interests and maintaining the integrity of the legal metrology system.

[ABS News Service/29.06.2026]

The Department of Consumer Affairs has introduced the Improvement Notice mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. Under the new mechanism, businesses committing specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances will be given an opportunity to rectify the deficiency before penal proceedings are initiated. The reform promotes Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) by encouraging voluntary compliance, reducing unnecessary litigation and supporting a more trust-based regulatory framework, while maintaining strong consumer protection.

Key Highlights

· The Improvement Notice mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act provides a facilitative opportunity for regulated entities to correct specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances before penal action is initiated.

· The reform is intended to promote Ease of Doing Business, encourage voluntary compliance and reduce unnecessary litigation.

· It applies to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs and other regulated entities.

· Strict action will continue against fraud, repeated violations, tampering and other acts adversely affecting consumer interests.

· The overall objective is to strengthen trust-based governance while safeguarding consumer interests

What is an Improvement Notice?

Where a person commits a specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliance covered under the Legal Metrology Act, a Legal Metrology Officer may issue an Improvement Notice identifying the deficiency and providing reasonable time to rectify it.

If the regulated entity complies within the prescribed period, unnecessary penal proceedings and litigation can be avoided. However, failure to comply with the Improvement Notice or repeated non-compliance will continue to attract action in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act. The mechanism represents a shift towards a more facilitative and trust-based regulatory framework by encouraging voluntary compliance without compromising enforcement.

Why this Reform Matters

The Improvement Notice mechanism seeks to create a more predictable, transparent and business-friendly regulatory environment by:

· Encouraging voluntary compliance and timely self-correction.

· Providing businesses an opportunity to rectify genuine first-time procedural lapses before penal action.

· Reducing unnecessary litigation arising from inadvertent compliance-related errors.

· Lowering compliance costs and improving regulatory certainty.

· Allowing enforcement authorities to focus on deliberate and repeated violations affecting consumer interests.

Provisions Covered under the Improvement Notice Mechanism

The Improvement Notice mechanism applies to specified first-time procedural and regulatory non-compliances relating to:

· Registration requirements

· Documentation and record maintenance

· Model approval

· Manufacture, sale and repair of weights and measures

· Import of weights and measures

· Transactions and packaged commodities

· Furnishing statutory information and returns

The mechanism covers the following provisions of the Legal Metrology Act:

· Section 25 – Use of non-standard weights or measures

· Section 27 – Manufacture or sale of non-standard weights or measures

· Section 28 – Transactions in contravention of prescribed standards

· Section 29 – Quoting or publishing non-standard units

· Section 31 – Non-production of documents

· Section 32 – Failure to obtain model approval

· Section 34 – Sale or delivery using non-standard weights or measures

· Section 35 – Rendering services by non-standard weight, measure or number

· Section 36(1) – Sale of non-standard packaged commodities

· Section 38 – Import of weights and measures without registration

· Section 39 – Import of non-standard weights and measures

· Section 41(1) & 41(2) – Furnishing false information or false returns

· Section 45 – Manufacture of weights and measures without registration

· Section 46 – Repair, sale or dealing in weights and measures without registration

· Section 47 – Tampering with Registration Certificate

The Department has clarified that the Improvement Notice mechanism does not dilute consumer protection or weaken enforcement under the Legal Metrology Act. The mechanism is applicable only to specified first time procedural and regulatory non-compliances.

The introduction of the Improvement Notice mechanism reflects the Government's vision of "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" by promoting trust based regulation, reducing unnecessary compliance burden, encouraging voluntary compliance and creating a transparent, predictable and business friendly regulatory ecosystem. The reform strikes a balanced approach by supporting honest businesses in achieving compliance while preserving the integrity of the legal metrology system and safeguarding consumer interests.