IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 4^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL WRIT PETITION NO. 1529 OF 2023 (GM-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. KARNATAKA METRIC MEN SANGHA A SOCIETY REGISTERED UNDER THE KARNATAKA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT 1960 HAVING REGISTERED OFFICE AT NO.70 OUTER RING ROAD, KEMPEGOWDA LAYOUT, LAGGERE, BANGALORE - 560 097 REP. BY ITS PRESIDENT MR. BABU S., S/O SRI. NAGARAJA REDDY AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS

2. SRI. A. V. L SRINIVAS S/O SRI A SATYANARAYANA AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS R/AT FLAT NO.303 Digitally ASHOK PARVA NO.68 signed by EAST ANJANEYA TEMPLE STREET SUMA B N BASAVANAGUDI Location:

HIGH BANGALORE - 560 004.

COURT OF …PETITIONERS KARNATAKA (BY SRI. SAMEER SHARMA, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY THE ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF FOOD, CIVIL SUPPLIES CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LEGAL METROLOGY NO.29, GROUND FLOOR, VIKASA SOUDHA BANGALORE - 560 001.

2. UNION OF INDIA REP. BY THE SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DR RAJENDRA PRASAD ROAD OPPOSITE RAIL BAWAN RAJPATH AREA, CENTRAL SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI - 110 001.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. PRADEEP C.S., AAG A/W SMT. B.P. RADHA AGA FOR R1;

SRI. B. PRAMOD, CGC FOR R2)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH AND SET ASIDE THE KARNATAKA LEGAL METROLOGY (ENFORCEMENT) (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2021, BROUGHT INTO FORCE VIDE NOTIFICATION BEARING NO. FCS 15 EBT 2020 (E-OFFICE), DATED 03/12/2022, BY RESPONDENT NO.1 (ANNEXURE-A-

IMPUGNED/AMENDMENT RULES), AS REGARDS:

(i) RULE 8 (SIC RULE 7) OF THE IMPUGNED RULES, WHICH SUBSTITUTES SCHEDULE IX OF THE KARNATAKA LEGAL METROLOGY (ENFORCEMENT) RULES, 2011 (ANNEXURE-`B' - RULES) WITH THE NEW SCHEDULE IX AS CONTAINED THEREIN;

(ii) RULE 2 OF THE SAID IMPUGNED RULES, WHICH INSERTS A NEW PROVISO IN RULE 3(1) OF THE PRINCIPAL RULES;

(iii) RULE 4 OF THE SAID IMPUGNED RULES, WHICH INSERTS A NEW SUB-RULE IN RULE 3 OF THE PRINCIPAL RULES; AND (iv) RULE 9 (SIC RULE 8) OF THE SAID IMPUGNED RULES, WHICH SUBSTITUTES SCHEDULE X OF THE KARNATAKA LEGAL METROLOGY (ENFORCEMENT) RULES, 2011 (ANNEXURE`B' - RULES) WITH THE NEW SCHEDULE X AS CONTAINED THEREIN, INSOFAR AS SL.NOS.1, 5, 6, 8, 9 AND 21 ARE CONCERNED.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL ORAL ORDER Petitioner is before this Court seeking following reliefs:

"A. Issue a writ of Certiorari or any other writ, order or direction to quash and set aside the Karnataka Legal Metrology (Enforcement) (Amendment) Rules, 2021, brought into force vide Notification bearing No.FCS 15 EBT 2020 (e-office), dated 03/12/2022, by respondent No.1 (Annexure-`A'-Impugned/Amendment Rules), as regards:

(i) Rule 8 (sic Rule 7) of the Impugned Rules, which substitutes Schedule IX of the Karnataka Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2011 (Annexure-`B' - Rules) with the new Schedule IX as contained therein;

(ii) Rule 2 of the said Impugned Rules, which inserts a new proviso in Rule 3(1) of the principal Rules;

(iii) Rule 4 of the said Impugned Rules, which inserts a new sub-rule in Rule 3 of the principal Rules; and (iv) Rule 9 (sic Rule 8) of the said Impugned Rules, which substitutes Schedule X of the Karnataka Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2011 (Annexure`B' -Rules) with the new Schedule X as contained therein, insofar as Sl.Nos.1, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 21 are concerned.

B. Alternative to Prayer (A)(iii) detailed above, issue an order by way of which, the words "reasonable time" be read into Rule 4 of the Karnataka Legal Metrology (Enforcement) (Amendment) Rules, 2021, brought into force vide Notification brought into force vide Notification bearing No.FCS 15 EBT 2020(e-office), dated 03.12.2022, by Respondent No.1(Annexure `A' -

Impugned/Amendment Rules), so as to read down the said provision."

2. Notification issued by the respondent authorities at Annexure-A, by which certain provisions of the Karnataka Legal Metrology (Enforcemen