Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently conducted extensive search and seizure operations at warehouses of Amazon and Flipkart in several parts of the country. The same was disclosed by the Consumer Affairs Ministry in a statement. The statement said that the raids were aimed to curb the distribution of substandard and uncertified products through online platforms. The operation was conducted in several cities like Lucknow, Gurugram and Delhi. Incidentally, as per the ministry’s statement, BIS investigation of non-certified goods — including electronics, kitchen appliances and toys — were all linked to one company — Techvision International, meaning that Techvision International Pvt Ltd is a key supplier of these non-certified products. “BIS’s investigations into multiple violations on both Amazon and Flipkart traced non-certified products back to Techvision International Pvt Ltd,” said the ministry’s statement.
Acting on the lead, BIS conducted raids at two different Techvision International facilities in Delhi, leading to seizure of some 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves without BIS certification. Non-certified products seized include brands like Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, and Butterfly, among others, as per the ministry’s statement. The ministry said that BIS has initiated legal action under the BIS Act, 2016, against the responsible entities, including filing two court cases against M/s Techvision International Pvt Ltd.
Amazon issues statement on raids
Faced with BIS’ action over the distribution of non-compliant products, Amazon issued a statement that said the company takes action to maintain a safe selection for its customers, including removing non-compliant products. “We require sellers of all products to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. We ensure our selection meets industry-accepted standards, and we develop innovative tools to prevent unsafe products from being listed. We take actions to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing noncompliant products, and outreach to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information, when appropriate,” Amazon India said in a statement.
The Bureau of Indian Standards, the country’s top product certification agency, has carried out search and seizure operations at multiple warehouse locations of leading e-commerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart.
What the un-certified products found on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and other websites comprise
The Consumer Affairs Ministry’s statement said that BIS certification is mandatory for certain products due to the potential hazards they pose. Non-certified products include those lacking the ISI Mark or bearing an invalid license number. BIS has identified that several non-certified products being sold on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, and BigBasket.
