BIS carried out 171 and 109 search & seizure operations

The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today informed that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued Safety Notices under Section 18(2)(j) of the Act to alert and caution consumers against buying goods which do not hold a valid ISI Mark and violate compulsory BIS standards.

The CCPA has also issued Safety Notice with regards to Helmets, Pressure Cookers , Cooking gas cylinders, and household goods including electric immersion water heaters, sewing machines, microwave ovens, domestic gas stoves with LPG etc.

A country-wide campaign concerning sale of spurious and counterfeit goods was done and the District Collectors across the country was communicated by CCPA to investigate unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights concerning manufacture or sale of helmets, domestic pressure cookers and cooking gas cylinders.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was instructed by CCPA to take immediate cognizance of offence regarding sale of products which do not hold valid ISI marks and violate compulsory BIS standards under relevant provisions of the BIS Act, 2016 and duly notify all regional branches of BIS in order to protect the consumer interest. BIS was also instructed to ensure that in case of successful raids, cases are lodged quickly and ensure that cases must be filed within 3 days of a successful search and seizure operation.

The Department had also requested States to issue appropriate instructions to District Collectors for pro-active action against manufacture, distribution, selling etc of goods whose non-conformity to the stipulated standards poses a hazard to life and public safety.

The BIS too acts upon the complaints received by it related to unauthorized use of BIS Standard Mark and violation of Quality Control Orders by unscrupulous manufacturers/sellers etc. Actions on these complaints involve discreet investigation for verification of genuineness of information followed by Search and Seizure and launch of prosecution against the offender for violation of provisions of BIS Act, 2016. Apart from this, proactive enforcement to curb unauthorized use of BIS Standard Mark and violation of Quality Control Orders is also done through market surveillance activities by BIS.

During the years 2021-22 and 2022-23 (upto 25th  Nov,2022), BIS carried out a total number of 171 and 109 Search & Seizure operations respectively for unauthorized use or misuse of BIS Standard Mark and Violation of Quality Control Orders.

After successful Search & Seizure operation, BIS publishes the case of misuse of ISI Mark in print media/ social media platform, in order to make common consumers aware about the same.