The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has intensified its efforts to curb the sale of non-compliant products on e-commerce platforms by conducting search and seizure operations at multiple warehouses of Amazon, Flipkart, and other online marketplaces. These operations, carried out in cities like Lucknow, Gurugram, and Delhi, aim to prevent the distribution of non-certified products that pose potential safety risks to consumers.
On March 7, 2025, BIS officials raided an Amazon warehouse in Lucknow and seized 215 toys and 24 hand blenders that lacked the mandatory BIS certification. Similarly, a raid at a Flipkart warehouse in Gurugram led to the seizure of 534 stainless steel bottles, 134 toys, and 41 speakers that were found to be uncertified. Investigations into these violations traced the source of these non-certified products to Techvision International Pvt Ltd, prompting BIS to extend its enforcement actions.
Acting on this lead, BIS raided two facilities of Techvision International in Delhi, uncovering approximately 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves, none of which carried the required BIS certification. Some of the seized products were linked to well-known brands such as Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, and Butterfly, highlighting the widespread issue of non-compliant goods entering the market through unregulated channels.
Following these seizures, BIS initiated legal proceedings under the BIS Act, 2016, to hold the responsible entities accountable. Two court cases have already been filed against Techvision International Pvt Ltd for violations of Sections 17(1) and 17(3) of the BIS Act, with additional cases being prepared for other entities found in violation. Under Section 17, offenders face a minimum penalty of two lakh rupees, which can extend up to ten times the value of the non-certified goods sold. In severe cases, violators may also face imprisonment of up to two years.
BIS’s market surveillance focuses on commonly used consumer goods such as domestic pressure cookers, hand-held blenders, food mixers, electric irons, room heaters, PVC cables, gas stoves, toys, two-wheeler helmets, switches, sockets, and aluminum foils for food packaging. Given the safety risks posed by substandard products, the Central Government has mandated BIS certification for these items to ensure consumer protection.
However, despite the stringent regulations, BIS has identified several instances where non-certified products are being sold on platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, and BigBasket. Many of these products either lack the ISI Mark or display an ISI Mark with an invalid license number (CM/L number), raising concerns over consumer safety. These uncertified products have not undergone third-party testing to verify compliance with essential safety and performance standards, making them a potential hazard for buyers.
BIS has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening enforcement measures and ensuring strict compliance with certification norms. Consumers are also urged to check for BIS certification and ISI Marks before purchasing products online to safeguard themselves from unsafe and non-compliant goods.
