Legal Metrology Act, 2009
Regulatory Framework
The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 received Presidential assent on January 13, 2010 and came into force on April 1, 2011. It replaced the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 and the Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985, consolidating them into a single modern statute. The nodal ministry is the Department of Consumer Affairs (under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution).
- The Act establishes a three-tier standard hierarchy: National Standards (held at NPL) → Reference Standards (at Regional Reference Standard Laboratories) → Secondary Standards and Working Standards (at state level).
- Regional Reference Standard Laboratories are located at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Faridabad, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati.
- The Act mandates use of SI units (International System of Units) for all weights and measures used in trade and commerce.
- Key offences under the Act: use of non-standard weights/measures, false weights, non-display of net quantity/MRP on packed commodities — with fines and imprisonment for violations.
- Enforcement is a concurrent function: the Central government sets standards and enforces in inter-state trade; State governments enforce at the retail and local trade level through Legal Metrology Officers.
- The Act empowers the Director (Legal Metrology) at the Centre and Controllers at the State level.
- The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 prescribe mandatory declarations on labels — including net quantity, MRP, date of manufacture, and manufacturer's name/address — directly protecting consumers.
● Tracked since May 20, 2026 · last seen August 31, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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