2,873 BIS hallmarking jewellery in the state

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: 2,873 jewellery shops in Assam have shifted to hallmarking and registered themselves with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Hallmarking and registration of gold are mandatory across the country now.

The Centre had announced the move to enforce mandatory nationwide gold hallmarking in November 2019. Towards that end, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had issued 'Hallmarking of Gold Jewelleries and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020'.

Even after issuing the order, the department had extended the BIS Hallmarking several times. On June 23, 2021, the Department of Consumers Affairs adopted the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Second Amendment) Order, 2021.

As per the rules, the department will penalize if gold jewellers and gold artefacts of 14, 18 and 22 carats sell jewellery without the BIS hallmark. The amount of penalty is five-time the cost of the object.

The head of Guwahati Branch Office of BIS Sabyasachi Dhar told The Sentinel that already 2,873 jewellers have registered themselves with the BIS in the state.

In the districts that have AHCs (assaying and hallmarking centres) the hallmarking is effective. Such districts are Bongaigaon, Tinsukia, Barpeta, Silchar, Jorhat and Kamrup (M). The hallmarking will be effective in the Nagaon district soon.

Assam unit of Indian Bullion and Jewellers' Association president Pradip Sarkar said that 5,000 jewellers in the state were yet to register themselves the BIS hallmarking. The registration is free till the end of November, after which the department will penalize the jewellers for non-registration of BIS hallmark, Sarkar said.

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