New Delhi, June 29: 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, with the aim of promoting Ease of Doing Business while ensuring consumer protection. Under the new system, businesses committing specified first-time procedural or regulatory violations will be given an opportunity to rectify the shortcomings before any penal action is initiated. If the entity corrects the deficiency within the prescribed period, it can avoid legal proceedings.
However, strict action will continue against repeated violations, fraud, tampering and other offences that harm consumer interests. The provision applies to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs and other regulated entities covered under the Act. The government said the reform is intended to encourage voluntary compliance, reduce unnecessary litigation, lower compliance costs and create a more transparent and trust-based regulatory environment, while allowing enforcement agencies to focus on serious and deliberate violations.
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.