The state collects Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore in fines for violations in product sales and packaging, according to seven years’ data from the Legal Metrology Department.
In 2021-22 alone, the department collected fines of Rs 6.6 crore.
Packaging violations include charging more than the MRP, the package containing a smaller quantity than what’s printed on the label, etc. Another major category of violations is shopkeepers using weights and measures that are not verified by the department, or are not re-verified periodically, says Legal Metrology Controller Dr Rajendra Prasad.
He says that the department’s inspectors prioritise checks on valuable commodities like gold and petrol. “We often find weighing violations among scrap dealers also. We check all businesses, and violations are relatively higher in the unorganised sector compared to branded products.”
The department had levied fines of Rs 6.1 cr in 2015-16. In the next three years, the amount declined, to the range of Rs 3.8 cr to Rs 4.5 cr annually.
From 2019-20, the fine collection increased again. That year, the fine was Rs 5.7 cr, and in 2020-21 Rs 5.4 cr.
“We levy only fines for the first offence. If the person disagrees to pay it, we file a court case. If the person commits a second offence, they can’t pay fine; the case will go to court and penalty is imprisonment up to six months,” says Dr Rajendra.
Of the fines levied, less than 5% are based on complaints from the public, he says. The rest are from suo motu inspections. The department has 250 officers across the state, of whom 80% are field staff, says Dr Rajendra. These staff numbers are insufficient to catch all violators, hence the public themselves should be vigilant and take interest in checking the products they buy, he
says.
Gopal Ratnam, Secretary of Consumer Care Society, says that issues like charging in excess of the MRP, weighing lesser amounts on electronic weighing machines, etc, are quite common in Bengaluru. Though the fines collected by the government seem high, the response is insufficient from both the government and consumers, he says.
“Fines will increase over time given the increase in transactions. But every government department is short of staff and their measures are insufficient. Also, the number of consumers who raise complaints with us and follow up have reduced in the last few years. They don’t have the time and energy for drafting complaints and following it up as the process takes long time.” Besides, consumers are unaware of basics like verifying MRP and hallmarks, Ratnam adds.