Bureau of Indian Standards cracks down on ecommerce platforms selling unsafe non-certified products
Aimed at curbing the distribution of non-compliant products through ecommerce platforms, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has carried out search and seizure operations at multiple warehouse locations of leading ecommerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart, in cities like Lucknow, Gurugram and Delhi.
As per the official statement by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in a recent raid conducted on 07 March 2025 at an Amazon warehouse in Lucknow, BIS seized 215 toys and 24 hand blenders, all lacking mandatory BIS certification. Earlier, in February 2025, a similar operation at an Amazon warehouse in Gurugram resulted in the seizure of 58 aluminium foils, 34 metallic water bottles, 25 toys, 20 hand blenders, 7 PVC cables, 2 food mixers and 1 speaker – all found to be non-certified.
Similarly, in a raid at a Flipkart warehouse in Gurugram, operated by Instakart Services, BIS seized 534 stainless steel bottles (vacuum insulated), 134 toys and 41 speakers, that were not certified. BIS’s investigations into multiple violations on both Amazon and Flipkart traced non-certified products back to Techvision International.
Acting on this lead, BIS conducted raids at two different facilities of Techvision International in Delhi, uncovering approximately 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves, without BIS certification, the Ministry stated.
However, during its surveillance activities, BIS has identified that several non-certified products are being sold on ecommerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra and BigBasket even though BIS certification has been made mandatory for these products. Non-certified products include those that do not bear an ISI Mark or bear an ISI Mark with an invalid license number (CM/L number).
Following the seizure of material, BIS initiates legal action under BIS Act, 2016 to hold the responsible entities accountable. BIS has already filed two court cases against Techvision International for violations of Sections 17(1) and 17(3) of the BIS Act, 2016.
The Ministry’s statement added that additional cases are in the process of being filed for other seizure operations. Under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, defaulters face a penalty not less than two lakh rupees, which may extend up to ten times the value of the goods sold or offered for sale.
