Legal Metrology - Overview

METROLOGY is the Science of Measurement. It includes theoretical & practical problems, the realization of the units of measurement and their physical representation as well as measuring instruments & their field of application.

LEGAL METROLOGY is the name given to all applied metrology subjected to regulations by law or government decree.

The extent of legal metrology varies from one country to another. In most countries legal metrology covers measurements in the protection of the individual from financial, health & environmental point of view.

As measurements are also used for the control of the quality of products and services there is usually a trend to enlarge the scope of legal metrology especially in countries where quality is subject to government control.

In almost every country a national metrology service ensures the technical application of legal metrology and constitutes an essential element in the economy of the country. 

In accordance with the recommendation of two international bodies namely,

a)       The General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), the body which takes policy decisions on metrological standards,
b)       The International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML), the body which regulates metrological standards,

of which India is a member, the Central Govt. enacted 2 Acts & 7 Rules for implementation of modern system of weights and measures so as to ensure countrywide uniformity not in enforcement procedure but also in the scope and coverage of legal control on weights and measures. 

In order to implement various aspects of legal metrology, the Central Govt. enacted the following Acts and Rules, -
1)       The Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976
2)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977
3)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Indian Institute of Legal Metrology) Rules, 1980
4)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985
5)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (General) Rules, 1987
6)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Approval of Models) Rules, 1987
7)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Interstate Verification and Stamping) Rules, 1987
8)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (Numeration) Rules, 1987
9)       The Standards of Weights and Measures (National Standards) Rules, 1988

Government of Orissa enacted the Orissa Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Rules, 1993. 

Orissa Legal Metrology Organisation was set up under the administrative control of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department. of Govt. of Orissa. The Legal Metrology Organisation has been functioning as a full-fledged Directorate at Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar. This organization works in close collaboration with Govt. of India.

The main functions of the state Legal Metrology Directorate (LMD) are-

a)      To provide better protection to consumers and also to constitute an essential element in the economy by ensuring metrological accuracy in commercial transactions, industrial measurements and measurements needed for ensuring public and human safety.
b)      Maintenance of standards in relation to weights and measures as prescribed by the Central Govt. in accordance with the recommendations made by the OIML –through verification & reverification work.
c)      To enforce the various provisions of weights and measures laws,
d)      To earn non-tax Govt. revenue in the form of fees for verification, compounding etc.,
e)      Regulation of manufacture, repair & sale of weights and measures,
f)       Regulation of packaged commodities sold or distributed,
g)      Regulation of commodities sold by heaps,
h)      Regulation of commodities sold weight, measure or number,
i)       Regulation of services rendered by weight, measure or number.