The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), operating under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, has seized nearly 804 grams of gold jewellery that lacked hallmarking certification from a shop in Chennai’s Ambattur area on September 1, 2026. The jewellery was found being sold without the mandatory official purity stamp required by law. Legal action has been initiated against those responsible.
What was seized and the legal basis
The confiscated items included 175 mangalsutras weighing 671.50 grams, 12 children’s bangles (25.02 grams), 40 earrings (86.14 grams) and 10 pendants (21.33 grams). The seizure was carried out under Section 28 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, after the enforcement team discovered the jewellery displayed openly for commercial sale without hallmarking marks.
According to BIS officials, hallmarking is an official certification that indicates the purity or fineness of precious metal articles. Properly hallmarked gold jewellery carries the BIS logo, the purity level, and a unique six-digit identification number called HUID. The BIS conducts regular market checks to ensure sellers comply with these mandatory certification requirements.
The operation was conducted by BIS Chennai Branch Office staff with support from local police authorities. The seized jewellery has been confiscated and will undergo detailed investigation with further legal proceedings to follow.
What this means for you
If you purchase gold jewellery, you should always check for the BIS hallmark and HUID number before buying. This protects you from substandard or impure gold being sold at full price. You can verify the authenticity of any hallmarked jewellery by using the BIS CARE app to check the HUID. The enforcement action demonstrates that the BIS is actively working to prevent the sale of unmarked jewellery in the market and maintain consumer confidence in the system.