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NEW DELHI: India, one of the largest consumer markets, is moving towards a robust recall regime for products that fail to meet the standards. While the recent order by the national food regulator has forced Nestle to recall Maggi packets, three more laws are in the making with stricter provisions for recall of faulty and hazardous products and even for paying compensation to the consumers.These proposed legislations – BIS Amendment Bill, Consumer Protection amendment Bill and Road Transport and Safety Bills – are likely to be introduced in Parliament soon.The Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) Act has provisions for recall of food products that don’t conform to the norms for which standards have been set and are harmful for consumption. The authority has also come out with draft regulations on food recall procedures. It says any state food authority can direct the food business operator engaged in wholesale supply, manufacturing and importation to initiate a recall if a food manufactured and distributed by it is unsafe or violates the law and if the operator has not initiated a recall on its own.Similarly, one of the major changes proposed in the amendment to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act relates to order stopping supply and sale of products, processes, systems or services in relation to which a standard mark (IS) has been given, if these don’t conform to the requirements of the relevant standard. It can also recall the non-conforming goods or articles that have already been supplied for sale.A new section has also been included in the bill to enable BIS to direct the licence-holder to repair, reprocess and replace non-conforming standard marked material and also to pay compensation to the consumers. Moreover, the company can be held liable for any damage caused to the consumer by such goods or articles.The proposed changes in the Consumer Protection Act have also provision for recall of unsafe products and also reimbursement of the price of goods to the consumer in case of a recall. There is a proposal to set up a Central Consumer Protection Authority, which will have the power to order for discontinuation of practices and recall of goods if it finds after investigation that such products or services are unsafe or hazardous to consumers.Similarly, the proposed Road Transport and Safety Bill has provision for establishing a national authority for road vehicle regulation and road safety, which shall have the power to order recall of vehicles of a particular model where a defect may cause harm to occupants. The recall shall be order based on findings of a complaint that impacts larger section of the vehicle users. It will be up to the agency to decide when to order the recall and based on how many complaints.