Consumer Affairs Ministry Notifies Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Second Amendment Rules, 2025 [Read Notification]

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has formally issued the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Second Amendment Rules, 2025, vide Gazette Notification G.S.R. 881(E) dated December 2, 2025.

Exercising powers under clauses (j) and (q) of sub‑section (2) of Section 52 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Central Government has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to carve out a specific exemption for pan masala from the ambit of Rule 26(a).

Rule 26 of the Legal Metrology (PackagedCommodities) Rules, 2011 provides exemptions from certain rules for specific packages, such as those with a net weight below 10 grams or 10 ml, food items packed by hotels and restaurants. It also exempts packages containing certain drugs under the Drug (Price Control) Order, 2013.

The latest amendment inserts a new proviso after the first proviso in Rule 26(a), clarifying that “the provisions of this clause shall not apply to pan masala.” This effectively excludes pan masala from the compliance requirements otherwise applicable to packaged commodities under the said clause.

The amendment follows a series of modifications to the 2011 Rules, the most recent being G.S.R. 778(E) dated October 23, 2025. The present change reflects a targeted regulatory adjustment rather than a wholesale revision of packaging norms.

The exemption for pan masala is significant in the context of ongoing debates regarding the regulation of tobacco-related and allied products. While the Legal Metrology framework primarily addresses consumer rights through accurate declarations and fair trade practices, the carve‑out for pan masala indicates a policy choice to treat the commodity differently from other packaged goods.

The amendment will take effect on February 1, 2026, providing a transition period for manufacturers, packers, and distributors to adjust their practices to the revised regulatory landscape. The notification has been signed by Anupam Mishra, Joint Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, and published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub‑section (i).

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