Implementation of the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Order Deferred

The Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (EEQCO 2020), issued under the authority of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, sets out mandatory conformity requirements for specified electrical equipment. Following the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023, and the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has now issued a notification deferring the enforcement dates for most product categories listed in the amendment table, excluding those at Sr. No. 1.1(a), which came into force on 10 November 2024.  The deferment, announced under S.O. 2007(E) dated 5 May 2025, extends the timeline for compliance “until further orders”. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors of product categories such as low-voltage switchgear and control gear should take note: while the compliance obligation remains operative in principle, enforcement will not begin until a later date. Stakeholders are advised to monitor updates and align their certification and supply-chain processes accordingly.