Directorate of Legal Metrology, the Weights and Measures Unit in the Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Govt. of India is the central authority for dealing with legal metrology. This unit is responsible to look after the matters of national policy and other related functions such as, uniform laws on weights and measures, technical regulations, training, precision laboratory facilities and implementation of the International recommendation. It has also to guide, co-ordinate and supervise the enforcement activities of the state enforcement machinery.

Central Government has set up various Zonal offices/institute/laboratories in the field of Legal Metrology.

• Indian Institute of Legal Metrology, Ranchi provides training in the field of Legal Metrology to the Legal Metrology Officers of Central and State Governments.

• Regional Reference Standard Laboratories situated at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad and Guwahati are working as the central agencies between apex laboratory and State Government Laboratories for traceability of standards. These laboratories are also responsible for the testing of models of weights and measures, verification of secondary standards of State Government, Calibration of sophisticated weighing and measuring instruments, consumer awareness program etc. 

Acts & Rules

With a view to regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weights, measure or number and for matters connected therewith, Govt. of India has notified The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and implemented with effect from 1^st April, 2011. The salient features of the Act are as follows:

• Every unit of weight or measure shall be in accordance with the metric system based on the international system (SI) of units in line with the recommendation made by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML). The base of unit of

• length shall be the metre
• mass shall be the kilogram;
• time shall be the second;
• electric current shall be the ampere;
• thermodynamic temperature shall be the Kelvin;
• luminous intensity shall be the candela; and
• amount of substance shall be the mole.

• Regulations of reference, secondary and working standards.
• Regulations of weights and measures used in trade and commerce for transaction and protection.
• Regulations of pre-packaged commodities.
• Regulations of Government approved test centre.
• Registration for importers of weights and measures.
• Approvals of models of weights and measures.

For the implementation of Legal Metrology Act, 2009 the Govt. of India has also notified certain Rules including the guidelines for implementing the LM (Packaged Commodity) Rules. The users may click to see the list and details of the Acts and Rules notified so far by the Central Government. The State Government may also frame the State Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules.

Responsibility of State Government

Controller of the Legal Metrology appointed by the State Governments and Union Territory Administration are responsible for the day to day enforcement on the implementation of following Acts and Rules: 

1. The Legal Metrology Act, 2009
2. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011
3. The Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011
4. The Legal Metrology (Approval of Models) Rules, 2011
5. The Legal Metrology (National Standards) Rules, 2011
6. The Legal Metrology (Numeration) Rules, 2010
7. The Indian Institute of Legal Metrology Rules, 2011
8. The Legal Metrology (Govt. Approved Test Centre) Rules 2013 

Click to see the contact details of the Controller of the Legal Metrology for different States.

Clinical Thermometers under BIS certification

Under Clinical Thermometers (Quality Control) Order, 2001 the following two items have been brought under mandatory BIS Certification Scheme according to which no person shall by himself or by any person on his behalf, manufacture or store for sale, sell, or distribute any clinical thermometers which do not conform to the relevant Indian Standards and bear the Standard mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards:

1. Clinical thermometers – Part 1, Solid stem type
2. Clinical thermometers – Part 2, Enclosed scale type

Director, Legal Metrology has been designated as Appropriate authority under the Standards of Weights & Measures Act 1976 to ensure compliance of the order.

Key contact personnel: The Director, Legal Metrology, Department of Consumer Affairs,

    461-A, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.

    Tel :011-23389489; Fax: 011-23385322

Website: http://consumeraffairs.nic.in