On Thursday morning during a raid at Madurai’s Mattuthavani Market, Labour Department officials seized 132 unstamped weighing machines. Among them, 121 were electronic weighing machines.
The inspection in Madurai was conducted after the department received complaints related to the issue in a recent grievances redressal meeting. During a review meeting held by the state labour and employment department, the decision was taken to stringent the action against traders for not stamping their weighing machines and scales.
Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 and the Legal Metrology Act 2009, the traders who go against the Act will be penalized for using unstamped weights and selling above MRP and repetitive offenders will have to face the action in court. Unstamped weights are also an offence that attracts a Penalty of Rs 5,000.
The inspection was conducted after receiving the order from the labour commissioner Dr Atul Anand, additional labour commissioner Kumaran, and controller of legal metrology M Shanthi at Madurai. Joint commissioner of labour department P Subramanian led the raid.
Madurai’s Mattuthavani Market is the city’s biggest fruits and vegetable market.
The raid was carried out after complaints about vendors/traders using unstamped weighing scales were raised in a recent meeting held by the department during a review meeting called by the state labour & employment ministry.
The labour department assistant commissioner Maivizhi Selvi (Enforcement) in Madurai, said using unstamped weighing machines is an offence that attracts a fine.
Maivizhi Selvi also appealed to the traders/vendors to stamp their weighing machines and scales. The entire process of the Weighing scale stamping application has been computerized & traders can apply on govt. website as well. Once the weighting application is uploaded, the dates will be allotted for hassle-free stamping, according to the official.