Section 273: Prohibition of making or using false instrument for weighing and measuring

1) No person shall make, or cause to be made, any instrument for weighing, measuring or determining quality standards in a manner that it does not conform to the specified standards or knowingly use as genuine any instrument so made for weighing, measuring or determining quality standards or possess or sell such instrument which is intended to be so used or make false seal or mark to be affixed to such instrument or tamper the seal or mark affixed to the instrument for weighing, measuring or determining quality standards or manipulate, with the help of any other instrument, the weighing, measuring or quality determining ability of such instrument or affix a false seal or mark to such instrument or, by way of any other means, make any weight or measure different from the prevalent one.

Explanation: For the purposes of this Section, the term “instrument for weighing, measuring or determining quality standards” means an instrument in use under the law to measure or determine the unit, quality or quantity of any good or service or purity or standards of such good or service or unit of anything.

2) A person who commits, or causes to be committed, the offence referred to in sub-section (1) shall be liable to a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding thirty thousand rupees.

3) Any instrument made or brought into use under sub-section (1) and tool for making or repairing such instrument shall also be forfeited.