NEW DELHI: Even as contradictory reports keep appearing on whether the digital set top boxes comply with Indian standards, the government today announced that its order for making several electronic items adhere to Indian safety standards will come into effect from 3 July.

The "Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012" mandates compliance to Indian Safety Standards for 15 notified categories of electronic goods. These electronic goods are STBs, Video Games, Laptop/Notebook/Tablets, Plasma/LCD/LED TVs, Optical Disc Players, Visual Display Units, Printers/Plotters, Scanners, Wireless Keyboards, Telephonic Answering Machines, Amplifiers, Electronic Musical Systems, Electronic Clocks, and Automatic Data Processing Machines and Microwave Ovens.

Keeping in view the fact that some manufacturers and importers have yet not received registration numbers from Bureau of Indian Standards, the Department of Electronics and IT (DeitY) has put in place an interim mechanism from 22 March this year.

According to this notification, DeitY shall provide provisional clearance to the manufacturers and importers to sell goods and to obtain registration for a period of three months beyond 3 July. A copy of this extension order is available on website www.deity.gov.in/esdm.

The Department has accordingly put in place a system for granting provisional clearances for units which have not obtained their registration. The application forms and related documents for seeking provisional clearance are available at www.deity.gov.in/esdm. The applications have to be made to Nodal Officer (Standards – Extension), in the Department of Electronics and IT in terms of the aforesaid notification. All manufacturers and importers are requested to make their applications at the earliest to avoid any difficulty in getting their products sold in the market.