Kakkanad: The Kerala Legal Metrology Department registered cases against six flower sellers for using illegal measurement practices for selling jasmine flowers. The sellers used a decades-old arm-length measurement ('Muzham') for jasmine flower strings. However, it is imprecise because each individual may have different arm lengths.

The defaulters were fined Rs 2,000 each. The law requires jasmine be sold by measuring it on a scale of fixed length or by a weighing scale. Action was also taken against sellers who sold flowers on weighing scales using unmarked weights.

It is unusual for legal metrology to inspect roadside flower stalls during Onam. The officials said that many sellers were taking advantage of this and cheating people on scale measures.