Department of Legal Metrology, Jammu & Kashmir, in collaboration with the School of Law, University of Kashmir, organized a Mega Awareness Programme on Legal Metrology, GST Revision and Consumer Protection today at Gandhi Bhawan, University of Kashmir here.

The event, presided by Commissioner Secretary, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Saurabh Bhagat, was held with an aim to enhance public understanding of legal metrology norms, disseminate knowledge on GST reforms, promote compliance among traders, and empower consumers to seek redressal through proper legal channels.

Speaking on the occasion, the Commissioner Secretary emphasised on the importance of various consumer redressal platforms in protecting the consumer interest. He also outlined about consumer justice delivery mechanism by Consumer Commissions, recent initiatives like delegation of powers to Legal Metrology Officers to lodge complaints in Consumer Commissions and enforcement drives conducted in the field of GST reforms.

Saurabh Bhagat assured full departmental support for future collaborative initiatives including joint programmes, student internships, financial awards, and other encouraging measures for law students. He emphasized the need for sustained engagement through a series of awareness events in the future.

The Commissioner Secretary also underscored the importance of initiatives like paid internship opportunities for law students in Consumer Courts and the institution of a Shield of Merit for the top-performing student in Consumer Affairs which are under consideration.

Addressing the gathering, Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Kashmir, Owais Ahmad emphasized on the protection of consumer rights against unfair trade practices and highlighted the importance of responsible consumer participation in ensuring effective enforcement of consumer laws.

In his address, Controller, Legal Metrology Department, J&K, Rajinder Singh Tara highlighted the department’s pivotal role in ensuring accuracy and uniformity in weights and measures. He also spoke about that the role of Legal Metrology in recent GST reforms.

During the event, it was informed that department of Legal Metrology is ensuring the passing of revising GST benefits post 22nd September 2025 to Consumers and strict action in terms of the provisions of Legal Metrology Act, 2009 is being taken against all the erring traders found violating the guidelines regarding new GST rates.

An interactive session was also held at the event in which panel of experts from Legal Metrology and Consumer Commissions participated .The session was highly interactive in which the students actively engaged in question-answer segment on contemporary issued in consumer protection.