Govt Introduces Improvement Notice Mechanism under Legal Metrology Act

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. Under this mechanism, businesses that commit specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances will be given an opportunity to rectify the deficiency before penal proceedings are initiated against them. 

What Is the Improvement Notice Mechanism? 

Where a regulated entity commits a specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliance under the Legal Metrology Act, a Legal Metrology Officer may issue an Improvement Notice. The notice identifies the deficiency and provides a reasonable time to the entity to rectify it. 

If the entity complies within the prescribed period, penal proceedings can be avoided. However, failure to comply with the notice, or repeated non-compliance, will continue to attract action under the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act. 

The mechanism is applicable to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs, and other regulated entities. 

Provisions Covered 

The Improvement Notice mechanism applies to specified first-time 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 following sections of the Legal Metrology Act are covered under the mechanism: 

• 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 

What the Improvement Notice Mechanism Does Not Cover 

The Department has clarified that the Improvement Notice mechanism applies only to specified first-time procedural and regulatory non-compliances. Strict action will continue against fraud, repeated violations, tampering, and other acts adversely affecting consumer interests. The mechanism does not alter the enforcement regime for deliberate or recurring violations. 

Improvement Notice Objectives 

According to the Department, the reform is intended to: 

• Encourage voluntary compliance and timely self-correction
• Provide businesses an opportunity to rectify genuine first-time procedural lapses before penal action
• Reduce litigation arising from inadvertent compliance-related errors
• Lower compliance costs and improve regulatory certainty
• Allow enforcement authorities to focus on deliberate and repeated violations affecting consumer interests 

The notification was issued on 29th June 2026 by the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.