Jammu: The Legal Metrology Enforcement Unit Jammu has imposed a penalty of ?1.80 lakh on a West Bengal-based e-commerce platform for supplying a customer with less than the declared quantity of a cosmetic healthcare product.
The action followed a written complaint received by the Controller, alleging that the pre-packaged commodity delivered through the platform contained only 50% of the declared net quantity. A subsequent inquiry and quantity measurement test confirmed this discrepancy, which constituted a serious violation of consumer rights and contravened key provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
Upon receiving a notice from the department, the defaulting firm refunded the entire amount to the aggrieved customer. In response, the company admitted its violation and applied for departmental compounding—a legal remedy under the Act. The case was subsequently compounded, and a penalty of ?1,80,000 was imposed, with the firm assuring immediate compliance with packaging regulations and net quantity corrections.
In an official statement, Controller Legal Metrology J&K Anuradha Gupta reaffirmed the department’s commitment to consumer protection and fair-trade practices, especially within the rapidly growing e-commerce sector.
She emphasized that the department would continue its rigorous inspections and enforcement actions to ensure compliance with regulatory nor The Controller also stressed the importance of verifiable product information and accurate net content declarations, particularly for pre-packaged commodities sold online, to safeguard consumers from deception and misleading sales practices.
According to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, manufacturers, packers, importers, suppliers, and sellers are legally obligated to ensure consumers receive the precise quantity they purchase. E-commerce platforms must also provide clear and accurate online information, including details of the manufacturer/packer/importer, country of origin (for imported products), generic name of the commodity, Maximum Retail Price (MRP), net quantity, Unit Sale Price (USP), and customer care details (name, address, contact number, and email of a person or office).These declarations are crucial in preventing fraud and ensuring transparency in online transactions.
The Legal Metrology Department has urged consumers to remain vigilant while making purchases and to report any discrepancies or grievances to the Legal Metrology Department, J&K, for redressal.
