Custom House Agent licence renewal must count work done at all permitted customs stations, not just one station.

Renewal of a Custom House Agent licence under the Custom House Agents Licensing Regulations, 1984 had to be assessed on the basis of business transacted at all customs stations where the agent was permitted to operate, because the licensing scheme recognised a permanent licence for multiple stations and the relevant public notices did not confine qualifying work to one station. The denial of renewal was therefore unsustainable, and the agent was held to have satisfied the prescribed renewal norms.

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Issues: Whether the denial of renewal of the Custom House Agent licence was justified when the qualifying norms were assessed only on the basis of work done at one customs station, and whether documents handled at all customs stations where the agent was permitted to operate had to be counted for renewal.

Analysis: The licence was granted under the Custom House Agents Licensing Regulations, 1984. Regulation 12 permitted renewal, subject to the Commissioner's satisfaction that the prescribed norms were fulfilled. The qualifying standards fixed by the relevant public notices did not indicate that the documents or containers had to be handled only at the customs station where the licence was originally granted. Regulation 10(2) recognised that a permanent licence enabled the agent to work at all customs stations. On that basis, the total business transacted by the agent at all permitted customs stations had to be considered for determining compliance with the renewal norms.

Conclusion: The denial of renewal was unsustainable and the appellant satisfied the prescribed norms for renewal of the licence.

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