New Delhi, May 20 (H.S): The central government has extended the deadline for the mandatory Quality Control Order (QCO) on certain electrical equipment by one year, until March, after consulting with stakeholders. The QCO will apply to most electrical devices, including domestic and commercial ones.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated in a release on Tuesday that the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has extended the timeline for implementing the Safety (Quality Control) Order, 2025 for domestic, commercial, and similar electrical equipment. The ministry mentioned that the QCO will now come into effect on March 19, 2026, for the sake of business convenience.

DPIIT stated that this decision was taken after consultations with stakeholders chaired by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on May 15, 2025. In this meeting, discussions were held regarding the safety of domestic and commercial electrical equipment. Minister Piyush Goyal acknowledged the industry’s concerns and expressed agreement to consider the request for extending the deadline for implementing the QCO.

DPIIT clarified that these orders will not apply to electrical equipment that falls under the purview of any other QCO. Additionally, small enterprises have been granted an extra three months, and micro enterprises have been given an additional six months to comply with the QCO.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar