The Third Amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2012, under the Legal Metrology Act, 2011, was unveiled on October 24, 2011, and was scheduled to come into force from July 1, 2012. But it has been deferred to November 1 this year. A FICCI official, on strict condition of anonymity, informed FnB News about the development in a telephonic conversation and said the proviso to Rule 5 of the Act would be omitted.
"Non-standard packs will, however, be converted to standard packs. The latest amendment specifies a set of grammages. Some of these existed in the previous amendment, while some are recent additions to the list. These vary from commodity to commodity, but now only the prescribed weights will be applicable," she said.
Rule 5 of the Act states, "Specific commodities are to be packed and sold in the recommended standard packages. The commodities specified in the Second Schedule shall be packed for sale, distribution or delivery in such standard quantities as are specified in that Schedule; provided that if a commodity specified in the Second Schedule is packed in a size other than that prescribed in that Schedule, a declaration that 'Not a standard pack size under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011' or 'Non-standard size under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011' shall be made prominently on the label of such package."
"After making so many representations before the minister, getting this rule abolished is a relief," she said.
The permitted pack sizes of various commodities according to the First Amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2012, were as follows:
■ Baby food: 25 gm; 50 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm; 300 gm; 350 gm; 400 gm; 450 gm; 500 gm; 600 gm; 700 gm; 800 gm; 900 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and 10 kg
■ Weaning food: Below 50 gm - no restriction; 50 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm;300 gm;400 gm; 500 gm; 600 gm; 700 gm; 800 gm; 900 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and 10 kg
■ Biscuits: 25 gm; 50 gm; 60 gm;75 gm; 100 gm; 120 gm; 150 gm; 200 gm; 250 gm; 300 gm; thereafter in multiples of 100 gm unto 1 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 500 gm unto 5 kg
■ Bread (including brown bread but excluding bun): 50 gm; thereafter in multiples of 50 gm unto 500 gm, and thereafter in multiples of 100 gm
■ Uncanned packages of butter and margarine: Below 25 gm - no restriction; 25 gm; 50 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg
■ Cereals and pulses: Below 100 gm - no restriction; 100 gm; 200 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg
■ Coffee: Below 25 gm - no restriction; 25 gm; 50 gm; 75 gm; 100 gm; 150 gm; 200 gm; 250 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg; 1.5 kg; 2 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg
■ Tea: Below 25 gm - no restriction; 25 gm; 50 gm; 100 gm; 125 gm; 250 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 1 kg
■ Materials which may be constituted or reconstituted as beverages: Below 50 gm - no restriction; 50 gm; 75 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm; 250 gm; 400 gm; 450 gm; 500 gm; 750 gm; 1 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 1 kg (56 gm and 61 gm for medical purposes only)
■ Edible oils, vanaspati, ghee and butter oil: 50 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm; 250 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 3 kg; 5 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg (If net quantity is in terms of volume, then 50 ml; 100 ml; 200 ml; 250 ml; 500 ml; 1 litre; 2 litre; 3 litre; 5 litre, and thereafter in multiples of 5 litres; the net quantity must be declared by mass also in the same size of letters/numerals)
■ Milk powder: Below 50 gm - no restriction; 50 gm; 100 gm; 150 gm; 200 gm; 250 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 500 gm
■ Rice (powdered), flour, atta, rawa and suji: 100 gm; 200 gm; 500 gm; 1 kg; 1.25 kg; 1.5 kg; 1.75 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg
■ Salt: Below 50 gm - in multiples of 10 gm; 50 gm; 100 gm; 200 gm; 500 gm; 750 gm; 1 kg; 2 kg; 5 kg, and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg
■ Aerated soft drinks, non-alcoholic beverages: 65 ml (fruit-based drinks only); 100 ml; 125 ml (fruit-based drinks only); 150 ml; 160 ml; 175 ml; 180 ml; 200 ml; 240 ml; 250 ml; 300 ml; 330 ml (in cans only); 350 ml; 400 ml; 475 ml; 500 ml; 600 ml; 750 ml; 1 litre; 1.2 litre; 1.25 litre; 1.5 litre; 1.75 litre; 2 litre; 2.25 litre; 3 litre; 4 litre; 5 litre
■ Mineral water and drinking water: 100 ml; 150 ml; 200 ml; 250 ml; 300 ml; 500 ml; 750 ml; 1 litre; 1.5 litre; 2 litre; 3 litre; 4 litre; 5 litre, and thereafter in multiples of 5 litre
According to General Statutory Rule (GSR) 426(E), which was mentioned in the Second Amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2012, in exercise of powers conferred by Sub-section (1) read with clause (j) and (q) of sub-section (2) of Section 52 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (1 of 2010), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, namely:
1. (1) These rules may be called the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second Amendment) Amendment Rules, 2012.
(2) They shall come into the force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2011, -
(i) for Sub-rule (2) of rule 1, the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:
"(2) Save as otherwise provided, these rules shall come into force from July 1, 2012."
(ii) in Rule 2, for clause (a) the following clause shall be substituted, namely:
"The proviso for Rule 5 shall be omitted from November 1, 2012."
