Checked against the Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (Ver. 1, effective 24.10.2024) on 15 October 2026. Published by MDG Services on 18 October 2026.
What the dealer does each day
Clause 1.4.2 sets six duties, on top of the general duty to give the right quality, quantity and price MDG 1.6(i).
| When | What the dealer does | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Every day | Looks at the W&M seal on the metering unit and totalizer of each dispensing unit, and confirms its W&M certificate is valid | MDG 1.4.2(a) |
| Every day, before the first sale | Tests every nozzle and writes the testing quantity in the stock register | MDG 1.4.2(d) |
| Every day | Looks over pump, hose and nozzle for leaks and reports any at once | MDG 1.4.2(e) |
| Kept at the outlet | A W&M-verified 5-litre measure, used for pump testing only | MDG 1.4.2(b) |
| Kept at the outlet | A W&M stamp on every measure used for bulk lube oil | MDG 1.4.2(c) |
| Every delivery | Meter back to zero, zero shown to the customer, a message about it on each pump unit | MDG 1.4.2(f) |
Each morning the dealer also writes down the pump meter reading and the dip of each tank MDG 1.3. Three of these duties have their own page: the 5-litre test, W&M and totalizer seals and zero before every delivery.
Short delivery: seals intact or tampered
Every quantity case starts with one question: are the W&M seals intact? That decides minor or critical.
| Seals intact | Seals tampered | |
|---|---|---|
| MDG heading | Short delivery with seals intact MDG 5.1.2(a) | Metering-unit seals found tampered MDG 5.1.2(b) |
| Does the quantity matter? | Yes: the unit is delivering short | No: action follows even when the delivery is correct or in excess MDG 5.1.2(b) |
| Class and action | Minor MDG 8.4(iii)(h): warning-cum-guidance letter at the first instance, Rs 10,000 per irregularity at the second, Rs 25,000 from the third on MDG 8.4 | Critical: termination at the first instance MDG 8.2 |
| Sales | Short beyond the legal limit: stop until recalibrated and re-stamped. Inside the permissible band: recorded and sales go on, but recalibration and re-stamping are due within 15 days or sales stop MDG 5.1.2(a) | The unit stops selling, is sealed, and samples of all products go to the lab MDG 5.1.2(b) |
The band and the 15 days are on the 5-litre test page. For the count of instances, see how repeat offences are counted.
Tampered seals are one of three critical quantity findings. The other two are a tampered totalizer and unauthorised fittings, chips or software. Each ends in termination at the first instance MDG 8.2. See W&M and totalizer seals.
If a pump delivers wrong
- Short or excess: the oil company's maintenance representative or the dealer should arrange recalibration at once, with the W&M Inspector's help MDG 4.3(a).
- Breakdown: the oil company attends breakdowns on its own pumps, and the dealer must tell it promptly MDG 4.2(a). See what the oil company must fix.
A tanker compartment that dips short is a different problem, dealt with at receipt. See short dip and water.
General information, not legal advice. For your own notice, speak to an advocate or your oil company.
In this section
Questions dealers ask
01How is a petrol pump checked?
The dealer checks the W&M seals and certificate and tests every nozzle each day MDG 1.4.2(a) MDG 1.4.2(d). Oil company officers and government authorities can also check the outlet MDG 8.7.
02What is short delivery at a petrol pump?
A dispensing unit gives the customer less fuel than it should. Beyond the Legal Metrology limit, sales through that unit or nozzle stop at once MDG 5.1.2(a).
03Is short delivery at a petrol pump a minor or a critical irregularity?
With the seals intact it is minor: a warning-cum-guidance letter first, Rs 10,000 per irregularity the second time and Rs 25,000 from the third time on, as minimum amounts MDG 8.4 MDG 8.5.1, once established MDG 8.5.2. With tampered seals it is critical MDG 8.2.
04What must the petrol pump meter show before fuel is delivered?
Zero. The attendant shows the customer the zero setting before each delivery starts, and each pump unit carries a message saying so MDG 1.4.2(f).
05Which measures must be stamped or verified by Weights & Measures at a petrol pump?
The 5-litre measure kept for pump testing needs W&M verification MDG 1.4.2(b). Any measure used to dispense bulk lube oil on the island or in service bays needs a W&M stamp MDG 1.4.2(c).
Read the official text: Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (PDF on Bharat Petroleum's website) (also published on iocl.com).
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