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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.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Over 25 categories of uncertified goods seized in BIS raid on e-commerce firms
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Tuesday said it had seized a large consignment of uncertified consumer products from e-commerce platforms Flipkart , E-Kart , and Meesho in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, emphasising that several platforms are "facilitating the sale and distribution of hazardous goods". The BIS is conducting a nationwide enforcement campaign to curb the sale of non-certified and unsafe products that violate provisions of the Quality Control Orders (QCOs). As part of this drive, the BIS Vijayawada branch carried out a raid on July 14 at Mustabad village in Gannavaram mandal, targeting the three platforms, an official press release said. "The BIS Vijayawada Branch Office conducted a major raid on prominent e-commerce platforms-Flipkart, E-Kart, and Meesho. During the operation, officials seized a large consignment comprising over 25 categories of consumer products," said Prem Sajani Patnala, Director & Head, BIS Vijayawada. The seized products included electronics, LED bulbs, toys, and table fans-all in violation of Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, Patnala said. Based on actionable intelligence and digital surveillance, it was found that several e-commerce platforms are enabling the sale of uncertified and potentially hazardous products, the release added. These items, lacking valid BIS certification , were being sold in violation of mandatory QCOs and relevant provisions of the BIS Act, posing serious risks to consumer health and safety , Patnala said. Section 17 of the BIS Act prohibits the sale, storage, or display of goods without the standard mark, while Section 29(3) provides for imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to Rs 10 lakh, or up to ten times the value of the seized goods. In applicable cases, violations under Section 79(2)(c) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(b)(iv) & (v) of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, will also be invoked for failure to exercise due diligence by the platforms, Patnala added. With over 800 products falling under mandatory BIS certification, all such goods must bear standard marks-such as ISI, CRS, Hallmark, or relevant system marks-and be sold only by licensed entities. Manufacture, storage, or sale of uncertified goods is punishable under law. Patnala urged consumers to use the BIS Care app to verify certification details and report misuse of BIS marks, assuring that BIS will continue proactive enforcement and consumer outreach efforts.
