Legal Metrology


The CII Institute of Quality has been taking a major initiative in spreading the awareness of Legal Metrology in the country. Packaged commodities and Weighing Machines touch our lives on a daily basis. Two important programmes covering these areas were held in June.

Practical Aspects of Electronic Weighing Machines


A two days workshop on "Practical Aspects of Electronic Weighing Machines under the provisions of the Standards of Weights and Measures Acts and Rules" was organized for the stakeholders in the Western region at Ahmedabad on 18-19th June 2007.

The object of the workshop was to make participants familiar with the technical and legal requirements with regard to electronic weighing machines, provide them opportunity to interact and in the process make the law transparent.

The highly technical and legal legislation, namely, the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 and the Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act 1985 and the 8 rules regulate all types of weighing machines. Understanding the prescribed statutory requirements regulating weighing instruments could be complicated, especially for the SME's. Nevertheless, knowledge of the provisions of the law is very essential for every industry, every consumer, every dealer, retailer, every stake holder. Non-compliance of the provisions of the law results in prosecution.

Unfortunately not much work has been done in this field. So CII-IQ has undertaken the task of conducting seminars/workshops around the country to familiarise the stakeholders on the provisions of the law, ensure transparency, make interpretation of the law easy and identify problem areas to be taken up for solution with appropriate agencies.

The Workshop at Ahmedabad was attended by 35 participants comprising of representatives of manufacturers of weighing machines from Small Scale Sector and Multi National Companies, users of machines, enforcement officials of the Government of Gujarat, repairers of weighing machines, etc. Issues relating to issue of license for manufacture, selling and repair of weighing machines, prescribed procedure for regulation of weighing machines at various stages of model approval, verification and re-verification, inspection, etc, were discussed. The participants raised a number of queries on problem areas related to their day to day operation and suitable reply was provided by experts.

The Workshop also identified certain areas of concern to the manufacturers and users of weighing machines in complying with some of the obsolete provisions of the law in the present day of economic activity in the country and desired that they may be suitably addressed to in the proposed revision of the weights and measures legislation. This would resolve the issues and remove impediments to trade within the country and during export and import of weighing instruments.

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