E-Commerce Crackdown: BIS Seizes Non-Certified Products

In a major crackdown on the online sale of non-certified products, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently carried out search and seizure operations across multiple warehouse locations of leading e-commerce platforms.

Non-certified products include those that do not bear an ISI Mark or those that bear an ISI Mark with an invalid license number (CM/L number).[1] While the BIS certification scheme is voluntary in nature, the Government, under various considerations like public interest, protection of human, animal or plant health, safety of the environment, prevention of unfair trade practices and national security, has notified a number of products for compulsory compliance with Indian Standards through the issuance of Quality Control Orders (QCOs).[2] For these products, the Government directs mandatory use of the standard mark under a licence or certificate of conformity from BIS.

Manufacturing or selling such products without the ISI mark and without a valid licence is punishable under the provisions of the BIS Act, 2016. Defaulters can face imprisonment of up to two years or fines ranging from Rs.2 lakh to ten times the value of goods sold or offered for sale.

The raids conducted by BIS led to large-scale seizures, and the investigation traced the non-certified products back to a private entity, against which legal action has now been initiated under provisions of the BIS Act. Further, the Bureau has issued notices to e-commerce platforms, directing them to ensure that products requiring BIS certification are duly certified before being made available to consumers.

Shortly afterwards, Amazon issued a statement highlighting its commitment to industry-accepted standards and emphasising that it takes actions to maintain a safe selection for its customers, including the removal of non-compliant products.[3]

This move by the BIS addresses the widespread issue of unsafe, non-certified products being sold online. It also coincides with ongoing efforts to establish guidelines for e-commerce self-governance, as outlined in the BIS’s draft guidelines released for public comments earlier this year.[4]

[1] https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2111506

[2] https://www.bis.gov.in/product-certification/products-under-compulsory-certification/

[3] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/bis-cracks-down-on-e-commerce-platforms-conducts-search-ops-at-warehouses-of-amazon-flipkart-and-others/articleshow/119047018.cms?from=mdr

[4] https://www.services.bis.gov.in/tmp/WCSSD41126940_21022025_3.pdf