Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2026, a move aimed at improving ease of doing business and expanding access to verification services across the Union Territory.
Under the new rules, Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) can be established by private entities authorised by the Legal Metrology Department to verify 12 specified categories of weights and measures. Verification fees for these categories have also been prescribed under the rules.
Officials said the rules lay down the eligibility criteria and procedures for setting up GATCs. Revenue generated through the centres will be shared between the GATCs and the UT Government in an 80:20 ratio.
The initiative is intended to widen the department’s outreach, cover previously untapped categories of weights and measures and provide traders with the option of obtaining verification services through private testing facilities.
According to the government, the reform builds on a series of recent measures in the sector, including the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, amendments to the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, deregulation initiatives and online service delivery through the J&K Single Window System.
Officials said the new framework addresses several long-pending issues and is expected to strengthen enforcement of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, while enhancing transparency and confidence among both businesses and consumers.
