The Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs has published a notice dated May 20, regarding the implementation of mandatory Hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts. In this letter written by the Under Secretary to the Government of India, states that Hallmarking of gold jewellery till June 15, 2021 was mandatory with certain exemptions as per the Hallmarking of Gold jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020.

At present, hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts is mandatory in 256 districts and that too for the following three caratages, namely 14k, 18k and 22k, gold jewellery and artefacts. Jewellery in 14k, 18k and 22k has to be sold compulsorily with Hallmark while remaining caratages and forms of gold jewellery and artefacts could still be sold without hallmark in these 256 districts. This circular from the government was written to announce that from June 1, 2022, the second phase of mandatory hallmarking would be implemented. According to this, Hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts will be become fully mandatory as was originally intended in existing 256 districts and 32 new districts covered with Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHC). Henceforth only 14k, 18k, 20k, 22k, 23k and 24k of gold jewellery and artefacts (as per IS 1417:2016), shall be sold in these 278 (256+32) districts and that too compulsorily with Hallmark.

This order of Hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts (Amendment, Order, 2022) was notified on April 4, 2022. And finally, after successful implementation of the above phases of the mandatory hallmarking, the Government in consideration of the interest of consumers is considering revocation of the exemption granted to Kundan, Polki and Jadaau from the scope of mandatory hallmarking, as these categories of jewellery can be hallmarked as per the provisions of IS 1417. This would be in order to check the duplicate HUID hallmarking, re-enabling of the provision in the system for recording the transfer of HUID hallmarked jewellery from manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer based on the sale. Other than the above, the government has planned to make hallmarking mandatory throughout the country, with one-year implementation period.

Considerations and comments on this proposal may be sent by email to hallmarking@bis.gov.in and a copy to usbis-ca@nic.in latest by June, 1, 2022.