The Department of Consumer Affairs has implemented an ‘Improvement Notice’ mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. This mechanism allows businesses to address specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances before facing penalties. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution stated that this reform, introduced through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, aims to enhance ease of doing business.
A Legal Metrology Officer can issue an Improvement Notice to businesses that commit certain procedural or regulatory lapses for the first time. This notice identifies the deficiency and provides a reasonable timeframe for rectification. If the entity rectifies the issue within the given period, they can avoid penal proceedings. However, actions like repeated violations, failure to comply with the Improvement Notice, fraud, tampering, or acts harming consumer interests will still lead to legal action under the Legal Metrology Act.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi highlighted that the Improvement Notice mechanism signifies a move towards trust-based governance and business facilitation. This mechanism, introduced under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, offers businesses the chance to rectify initial procedural and regulatory non-compliances before penalties are enforced. Joshi emphasized that this reform promotes voluntary compliance, reduces unnecessary litigation, and ensures strict measures against fraud and repeated violations to protect consumer interests.
The reform applies to various entities covered by the Legal Metrology Act, including manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, and MSMEs. It addresses specific first-time procedural and regulatory non-compliances related to various aspects such as registration requirements, documentation, model approval, sale and repair of weights and measures, import of weights and measures, packaged commodities, and statutory information.
The Department clarified that the new mechanism does not compromise consumer protection or enforcement under the Legal Metrology Act. It solely targets specified initial procedural and regulatory non-compliances. This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ by promoting trust-based regulation, reducing compliance burdens, and encouraging voluntary adherence. It aims to strike a balance between assisting honest businesses in compliance and upholding the legal metrology system’s integrity while safeguarding consumer interests.
