SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2026, replacing the existing licensing regime with a simplified registration system in a move aimed at reducing regulatory burden on businesses while strengthening consumer protection.
The new rules, notified by the government, dispense with the requirement of licences for manufacturers, dealers and repairers of weights and measures. Instead, they will now be issued registration certificates, which will not require periodic renewal. The rules also remove the mandatory pre-registration inspection, a step expected to expedite approvals and reduce compliance costs.
The notification introduces a number of other regulatory changes. It makes the use of special accuracy weighing instruments mandatory for weighing precious metals, prescribes verification fees for different categories of weights and measures, and fixes compounding fees for offences under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
Officials said the changes are intended to simplify compliance procedures for businesses while providing a clearer legal framework for enforcing standards related to weights and measures.
The rules are part of a wider set of reforms undertaken by the administration in recent months. These include implementation of the **Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026**, amendments to the **Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011** extending the re-verification period for specified weights and measures, deregulation measures in selected sectors and the expansion of online services through the J&K Single Window System.
According to officials, the notification addresses several long-pending regulatory issues and strengthens the Legal Metrology Department’s enforcement powers under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. They said the new framework is expected to improve regulatory certainty, ensure fair enforcement and build greater confidence among businesses and consumers alike.
This is the first comprehensive enforcement framework notified by the Union Territory under the Legal Metrology Act since the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, bringing procedural clarity to the functioning of the department while aligning it with the government’s broader ease of doing business agenda.
