Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020

MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(Department of Consumer Affairs)

ORDER

New Delhi, the 15th January, 2020

S.O. 205(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 14 read with sub-section (2) and (3) of section 15 and sub-section (1) and (2) of section 16 read with section 17 and sub-section (3) of section 25 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016), the Central Government, after consulting the Bureau of Indian standards, is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do in the public interest, hereby makes the following Order, namely:-

1. Short title and commencement.—(1) This Order may be called the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020.

(2) It shall come into force with effect from the 15^th day of January, 2021.

2. Compulsory selling of precious metals articles of gold marked with Hallmark through certified sales outlets.—

(1) Precious metal articles of gold notified to be marked with hallmark in the notification of the Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Department of Consumer Affairs number S.O. 2421(E), dated the 14th June 2018, shall be sold only by registered jewellers through certified sales outlets, after fulfilling the terms and conditions of certificate of registration as specified in regulation 5 of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018.

(2) Precious metal articles specified in column (2) of the Table below, shall conform to the corresponding Indian Standard given in the column (3) of said Table and shall bear hallmark under a certificate of registration from the Bureau of Indian Standards as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018.

(3) Nothing in this order shall apply to precious metal articles, specified in column (2) of the Table, in the following cases, namely:-

(a) any article meant for export, which conforms to any specification required by the foreign buyer;

(b) an article with weight less than two grams;

(c) an article which is in course of consignment from outside India to an assaying and hallmarking centre in India recognised as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018,

for hallmarking;

(d) any article which is intended to be used for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or industrial

purposes;

(e) any article of gold thread;

(f) any manufactured article which is not substantially complete, and which is intended for further

manufacture;

(g) gold bullion in any shape of bar, plate, sheet, foil, rod, wire, strip, tube or coin.

3. Certification and enforcing authority.—In respect of the goods and articles specified in column (2) of the Table, the Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority and an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary of the Department having administrative control over consumer affairs in the Government of the State or Union Territory shall also be the enforcing authority.
4. Penalty for contravention.—Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Order shall be punishable under the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.

TABLE

[F. No. 6/1/2017-BIS (Pt.)]

AWADHESH KUMAR CHOUDHARY,

Economic Advisor