Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Department of Consumer Affairs has introduced an ‘Improvement Notice’ mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, allowing businesses to rectify specified first-time procedural or regulatory non-compliances before penal proceedings. This was done with an intention of improving the ease of doing business a n official statement said on June 29.
The reform has been brought into effect through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 to promote ease of doing business (EoDB), encouraging voluntary compliance and reducing unnecessary litigation, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said.
Under the new mechanism, a Legal Metrology Officer may issue an Improvement Notice to businesses committing specified first-time procedural or regulatory lapses, identifying the deficiency and providing reasonable time for rectification, it added.
If the entity complies within the prescribed period, penal proceedings can be avoided.
However, repeated violations, failure to comply with the Improvement Notice, fraud, tampering and other acts adversely affecting consumer interests will continue to attract action under the Legal Metrology Act.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said the introduction of the Improvement Notice mechanism marks another step towards trust-based governance and ease of doing business.
“The Government has introduced the Improvement Notice mechanism under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, providing businesses with an opportunity to rectify specified first-time procedural and regulatory non-compliances before penal proceedings are initiated,” he said on the social media platform X.
