The central zone of the Legal Metrology Department registered nearly 20 cases against jewellery retailers in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Idukki for not mentioning the purity of gold along with their net weight in the cash receipts.
Cases have been registered as per Rule 10 of the Kerala Legal Metrology Act, 2012, for not mentioning the purity of gold in the receipts. The weight should also be declared properly in the receipt, failing which action would be taken against the retailers, said R. Ram Mohan, Deputy Controller, Legal Metrology Department (Central zone).
Mr. Ram Mohan said that consumers were taken for a ride by charging higher rates for the gold purchased without mentioning the purity of the gold in the cash receipts. The retailers charged higher rates for low carat gold by claiming that it was higher carat gold. The price had to be fixed based on the purity of the gold and its net weight. Mr. Ram Mohan said fines would be imposed on jewellery retailers based on the gravity of the first offence. It would be not more than ₹5,000. The department would initiate prosecution if they repeated the offence, he said.