Jewellers can only sell 14, 18 and 22 carats of gold jewellery from today

Mysore/Mysuru: The Central Government has implemented the mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts from today (June 15).  It is compulsory from today to sell gold jewellery in fineness of 916 (22 carat), 750 (18 carat) and 585 (14 carat) only. Earlier the deadline was  June 1 which was extended by a fortnight in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

President of Mysuru Jewellers Association, Amarnath, speaking to Star of Mysore this morning said that the mandatory gold hallmarking has been implemented by the Government from today and added that every jeweller should obtain the hallmarking licence and then only the jeweller can sell 14, 18 and 22 carats gold jewellery.

He said “An awareness programme on BIS Hallmarking Scheme of Gold and Silver Jewellery, which was organised by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Bengaluru Branch Office, was held for city jewellers in Mar. 25, where jewellers were apprised about quality control order for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery/artefacts and the salient features of Hallmarking. Selling Hallmarked jewellery from June 15 without a valid registration is an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and a hefty fine of Rs. 1 lakh. Jewellers not having BIS Hallmark registration were asked to apply for the same in view of mandatory Hallmarking Quality control order as Hallmarking registration would project them as Quality Conscious to Consumer.”

Amarnath said that there are over 1,000 jewellers in city and following a call for BIS Hallmark registration during the awareness programme, only 80 jewellers have registered till date. “Many jewellers have sought to sell 23 and 24 carats gold jewellery. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has stated that it would look into the disadvantages the jewellers would face and streamline the same in due course,” he added.

BIS, the National Standards Body of India functioning under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, is operating the Hallmarking Scheme for Gold Jewellery to protect consumers against the purchase of gold jewellery with lesser purity than declared and to develop export competitiveness to make India as a leading gold market centre in the world besides providing Product certification, Standardisation activities for products etc. Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in the jewellery / artefacts or bullion/coins.