Understanding Legal Metrology E-Commerce Packaging Rules: A Guide to Mandatory Declarations and Compliance (Part-1)

Highlighting the importance of mandatory declarations and packaging rules in e-commerce under Legal Metrology regulations.

Sub-rule (10) of Rule 6 under Chapter II of Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011, is clear in its essence when it reads as "an e-commerce entitiy shall ensure that the mandatory declarations as specified in sub-rule (1), except the month and year in which commodity is manufactred or packed, shall be displayed on the digital and electronic used for e-commerce transactiions".

The specific mandate of sub-rule (1) which, in no uncertain terms, prescribes as "every package shall bear thereon or on label affixed thereto, a definite, plain and conspicuous declaration made in accordance with provisions of this chapter as, to-"

Though the mandatory information to be declared on packages is arrayed, with all possible miniscule distinctions, under clauses (a) to (g) of sub-rule (1), what is of import with quantity angle is clause (c) which reads as "The net quantity, in terms of the standard of weigh or measure, of the commodity contained in the package or where the commodity is packed or sold by number, the number of the commodity contained in the package shall be mentioned".

Given such extent elaboration prescribed under rules, one can remain oblivious to the import of quantity declaration only at the cost of inviting penal section under section 18 (1), read with section 36 (1) of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.

However, this is not happening in marketplace, particularly in e-commerce business and the entitites are being regularly booked for not complying with, in letter & spirit of the law. To stave off such uncermonious eventualities, the considered and valuable counselling fromlegal Metrology expert should be sought and information updated accordingly.

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