Latest news with #BISAct
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Steel ministry moves SLP in SC to keep its BIS mandate even on intermediate steel products
New Delhi: The Union steel ministry has moved the Supreme Court against a high court stay order on import curbs on steel that fall short of national standards, highlighting the plight of small businesses amid government's thrust for local manufacturing. The ministry's special leave petition (SPL) follows a 13 June notification mandating Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for all imported raw material that goes into making steel products. The notification led to protests by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that import cheap raw materials for making steel products, prompting the government to suspend the order until 15 July. In the meanwhile, a petition against the notification by an MSME producer led the Madras High Court to order a stay on it on 13 July. MSMEs include secondary steel makers who depend largely on steel imports used as inputs in their final steel products, potentially pitting them against the government, whose rationale for imposing a quality control order was to check steel dumping into the country. The steel ministry, in its SLP filed on 23 July seen by Mint, has requested the apex court to stay the interim order of Madras High Court. 'It is respectfully submitted that the said order was passed at the admission stage without even hearing the stand of the Union of India," the ministry's petition says. The steel ministry's 13-June notification mandated that in addition to finished steel products, intermediate raw materials such as stainless steel slabs, and hot rolled and cold rolled coils must be BIS-certified for all imports with a bill of lading dated on or before 16 June. On 11 July, the ministry exempted the mandatory adherence of BIS specifications for raw materials used in final steel product in case of imports, where material have been shipped on or before 15-07-2025. MSME importers then wrote to the steel ministry asking for the notification to be withdrawn. The QCO, which was notified on 13 June but whose implementation was ordered just three days later, put approximately ₹150 crore of advance payments in jeopardy, according to a letter written by industry body Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) on 18 June to the steel ministry. "Importers who placed orders months ago under pre-existing regulations are now facing uncertainty. Shipments already in transit or contracted prior to 16 June are suddenly non-compliant, risking needless financial loss and supply disruption," said the letter. Subsequently, a writ petition was filed in the Madras High Court by Shree Ramdev Metalex LLP challenging the steel ministry's 13 June notification as being bad in law and contrary to BIS Act, 2016 and the BIS Rules, 2018. 'The domestic steel industry faces QCO and similar regulations should not be there for imports. It's no point to have BIS specifications for hot rolled coils but not for say slabs. Government should address the concerns of certain sections of the industry with respect of BIS specifications separately," said A.S. Firoz, former chief economist at the Economic Research Unit of the ministry of steel. In June 2025, 0.797 million tonnes (mt) of finished steel were slated for imports under 25,759 such applications, as per the SIMS portal monthly report by the union steel ministry. SIMS stands for Steel Import Monitoring system. Korea, with a share of 34.6%, followed by China, with a 30.6% share of May 2025 imports, were the top two sources. The highest share of the imports in June 2025—29.1%—were for the automobile and auto components sector, SIMS data showed. Chandan Bhansali, president of the Metal & Stainless Steel Merchant's Association (Massma), said the steel ministry's strategy on imports was becoming a hindrance to micro and small businesses. "The micro and small-scale industries are already suffering from slowing down of economy and these compliances are implemented with an impossible timeline of one working day. The SIMS 2.0 portal in its new avatar is too regressive and implementation has become exactly opposite of 'ease of doing business'." 'Compliance of BIS standards for intermediate product is required to ensure that the finished product is as per quality requirement given by BIS Standards. If this not done, a final product may be sub-standard. It is also to be noted that because of excess capacity and declining consumption in certain countries, there a is big possibility of dumping of substandard steel. As India is the only fast-growing large economy in the world, there is a very high possibility of cheap steel getting pushed into Indian market unless adequate measures are put in place for import of quality steel," a steel ministry spokesperson said in reply to a query mailed by Mint on 27 July. The query was mailed to the spokesperson as well as secretary in the ministry of steel. The ministry did not respond to questions on the legal action taken by it.
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Business Standard
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Hallmarking for 9 carat gold gets green light: What it means for consumers
The government has approved hallmarking standards for 9 carat gold, making it officially part of the Bureau of Indian Standards' (BIS) hallmarking system. The notification was issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and the rule will take effect from this month, June 2025. What's happening: According to BIS, 9K gold must have a minimum fineness of 375 parts per thousand, and will now be subject to the same regulations as other gold categories. Jewellers and hallmarking centres must comply starting July 2025. Why it matters: Gold prices have surged to record highs in India, crossing ₹99,000 per 10 grams and briefly hitting ₹1,00,484 on the MCX. This has led to many consumers being priced out of the market. By making 9 carat gold (which costs roughly ₹38,110 per 10 grams, including GST) part of the hallmarking system, the government aims to: The background: Until now, hallmarking in India was permitted only for 24K, 23K, 22K, 20K, 18K, and 14K gold. The BIS hallmark certifies the gold's purity (measured in parts per thousand) and ensures consumer protection under the BIS Act, 2016. The absence of 9 carat gold from the list had limited jewellers' ability to sell lower-purity, affordable options with government-backed certification. That gap has now been filled. This development comes after a steep 60 per cent drop in gold sales by volume in June, the sharpest decline since the Covid-19 pandemic. Why have gold prices surged? Gold prices are surging due to a combination of global and domestic factors. Investors are turning to gold as a safe-haven asset amid heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China, and growing political instability. A significant drop of over 4 per cent in the US Dollar Index this year has further boosted gold's appeal on the global stage. Central banks, especially in Asia, are increasing their gold reserves to diversify away from the US dollar, driven in part by concerns over political risks such as the freezing of Russian central bank assets. Additionally, the US Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts have made gold, which does not yield income, relatively more attractive. In India, domestic demand remains strong due to cultural and seasonal factors—key festivals in India traditionally see a rise in gold purchases, keeping demand high regardless of price trends. Industry speaks: Officials and industry leaders have welcomed the move as overdue and timely. 'We had been urging the government to introduce hallmarking of 9 carat gold for over a year,' said Surendra Mehta, national secretary, India Bullion & Jewellers Association (IBJA), speaking to The Economic Times. 'This will spur demand, especially in rural areas.' Suvankar Sen, MD & CEO of Senco Gold, added, 'It's a great initiative to make gold jewellery more accessible amid high prices. Modern designs come out smartly in 9K gold, and this move also supports innovation and exports.' The bigger picture: India is one of the world's largest consumers of gold, using 800–850 tonnes annually. Global factors, including inflation and geopolitical tensions like the Russia-Ukraine war, have driven up gold prices by over 25 per cent in the past year. Amid this, jewellers are increasingly turning to lower-carat jewellery to reduce production costs and attract budget-sensitive buyers, and hallmarked 9K jewellery could unlock new export opportunities, especially for lightweight, design-centric collections. What to watch out for: The new standard takes effect from July 2025, so not all jewellers may immediately offer hallmark-certified 9K gold. Consumers should look for the BIS hallmark and the fineness mark (375) when buying 9 carat jewellery. Gold watches and pens are now excluded from the BIS artefact definition; consumers should be aware that these items may not be hallmarked even if ma
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt brings 9 karat gold under mandatory hallmarking
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Friday announced the inclusion of 9 Karat gold under the list of mandatory hallmarking categories, effective July 2025. The standard defines specifications for fineness and marking of gold jewellery and artefacts. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Others Product Management Technology Project Management MCA Data Analytics Management Public Policy Artificial Intelligence MBA Degree Design Thinking CXO Leadership Finance Data Science Data Science others healthcare Healthcare PGDM Digital Marketing Operations Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details With this inclusion, the list of hallmarking grades now comprises: 24KF, 24KS, 23K, 22K, 20K, 18K, 14K and now 9K (with minimum fineness of 375 parts per thousand). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Jewellers and hallmarking centres are required to comply with this addition under the BIS regulations, said All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council in a post on X. '9 Karat Gold (375 ppt) is now officially under mandatory hallmarking as per BIS Amendment No. 2 All jewellers & hallmarking centres must comply,' the council said. Live Events As per the amendment, 9 Karat gold, earlier not included in the mandatory hallmarking system, will now be brought under the same regulatory framework that ensures consumer transparency in purity standards. Welcoming the move, Suvankar Sen, MD & CEO, Senco Gold Ltd. called 9 kt hallmarking a great initiative by Govt. "9 kt hallmarking is a great initiative by Govt to make the diamond and gold jewellery more affordable and easier for the consumer to buy Jewleley in the high gold price. The modern Deisgns can come out smartly in the 9 kt and companies can continue to innovate with Deisgns and styles due to this imitative. It will also boost exports for future,' Sen said. The revised BIS standard also updates definitions and exclusions. Gold watches and pens have been excluded from the definition of artefacts. A gold coin under this specification is defined as a flat sheet of 24KF or 24KS gold produced only by mints or refineries and having no legal tender value. Hallmarking, governed by the BIS Act, 2016, certifies the proportionate content of precious metal in jewellery and artefacts. Hallmarking grades Sl No. Grade/Designations Declared Minimum Fineness in ppt Purity in Karat (K) ( Approximate ) (1) (2) (3) (4) i) 24 KF 999 — ii) 24 KS 995 — iii) 23 K 958 23 iv) 22 K 916 22 v) 20 K 833 20 vi) 18 K 750 18 vii) 14 K 585 14 viii) 9 K 375 9
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- The Hindu
BIS officials seize 1.072 kg gold jewellery being sold without hallmark in Vijayawada
Officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted raid on a hallmarking centre and seized a fake laser marking machine used for putting Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID), and 1.072 kg of gold jewellery being sold without valid (HUID). Acting on a complaint on fake HUID, the team led by BIS Joint Director T. Arjun, conducted a raid on Sri Lakshmi Hallmarking Centre, located at Narsannapeta in Srikakulam district on Thursday night (July 17, 2025.) 'They found that a laser marking machine was being used for marking HUID, without having BIS recognition,' said BIS Vijayawada Director Prem Sajani Patnala. 'During investigation, it was revealed that the illegal HUID activity was linked to GNR Gold and Diamonds, located at Narsannapeta. Immediately, the BIS team seized the gold ornaments from the jewellery shop,' the Director said in a release on Friday (July 18, 2025.) 'A case under BIS Act, 2016 has been registered against the accused. The offence is punishable with imprisonment up to one year, or not less than ₹1 lakh fine,' Ms. Prem Sajani said. 'Consumers are requested to verify BIS Logo, Purity and HUID on BIS Care Mobile App by entering HUID number which purchasing gold jewellery,' Ms. Prem Sajani said.
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Business Standard
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
BIS seizes uncertified consumer goods in raid at Amazon hub in Vijayawada
BIS Vijayawada Director Prem Sajani Patnala said the raid was part of an ongoing effort to identify and stop the circulation of products that do not comply New Delhi The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Vijayawada carried out a raid at Amazon's warehouse in Kandrika, located in Andhra Pradesh's NTR district, and seized a large stock of uncertified consumer goods. These included electronics, kitchenware, toys, ceiling fans, footwear, and more, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. The enforcement operation took place on July 15. BIS Vijayawada Director Prem Sajani Patnala said the raid was part of an ongoing effort to identify and stop the circulation of products that do not comply with Quality Control Orders (QCOs). 'Based on actionable intelligence and digital tracking, it was discovered that several e-commerce platforms are helping sell and distribute uncertified and potentially dangerous goods,' the press note said. BIS is currently running a nationwide campaign to stop the sale of non-compliant products. Violation of BIS Act, 2016 Patnala confirmed that the seized items did not have the required BIS certification or registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme. This is a violation of Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, which bars the sale, display, or storage of goods without the proper standard mark. Unsafe goods promoted via e-commerce She stated that these platforms "are enabling the circulation of uncertified and unsafe goods". Patnala also explained that the seized items would either be destroyed, scrapped, or made unusable, depending on the category. "For example, BIS drills holes in cookers, stoves, and steel products. Gold is melted, but only after court approval", she said. She also revealed that many sellers listed on e-commerce sites provide fake or non-traceable addresses, often linked to residential areas. Holding platforms accountable "We thought we had to catch hold of the platform, they will lead us to the actual manufacturer," she said. BIS has now decided to hold e-commerce companies directly accountable. 'Everyone making a profit should be made responsible,' she added. Previous actions of BIS against e-commerce platforms This is not the first raid. This action follows recent similar raids on Flipkart, E-Kart, and Meesho in Krishna district. On March 20, 2025, BIS found multiple items lacking mandatory certification during recent raids in various warehouses of e-commerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart. Speaking on this, the government body said it took this step in a bid to enhance consumer safety from potentially hazardous products. Raids were conducted in a series at Amazon and Flipkart warehouses in Gurgaon, Lucknow, and Delhi, and more than 7,000 substandard items, including electric water heaters, toys, blenders, bottles, and speakers that were found to be without the BIS standard mark, were seized. On March 26, 2025, BIS conducted a search and seizure operation at a warehouse of Amazon located in Airport City, Shamshabad, for violation of the provisions. Here, it seized 2,783 "uncertified" consumer products. These products were estimated to be worth more than Rs 50 lakhs, as per BIS.
