Foreign exchange counter location rules mandate purchases only with encashment certificates; non-compliance attracts statutory penalties.
Foreign exchange counters at international airports must be sited so that arrival counters are after Customs or, if between Immigration and Customs, they only purchase foreign currency, sell Indian Rupees and issue Encashment Certificates; departure counters must be before the first of Customs or Immigration with appropriate passenger notices. Authorised Dealers and Full Fledged Money Changers not conforming must relocate to comply by the prescribed deadline, and non compliance attracts penal provisions under the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

Online transmission of Duty Free Import Authorization automates DFIA data exchange between customs and trade, streamlining shipping bill processing.
Implementation of online transmission of Duty Free Import Authorizations will automatically populate DFIA/authorization details in ICES 1.5 for export and import filings; exporters and CHAs must provide DFIA details in the revised Shipping Bill format or Annexure A, and importers must quote Authorization numbers on Bills of Entry. Customs will transmit Shipping Bills to DGFT for export obligation monitoring; DGFT will issue an Export Obligation Discharge Certificate enabling Customs to release bonds, LUTs and bank guarantees after verification. DFIA amendments require a Customs-issued log print of license usage before DGFT processes and transmits amendments online; manual procedures continue for pre-implementation authorizations.

Public shareholding reporting: recognised stock exchanges must submit standardized quarterly shareholding reports and compliance undertakings.
Recognised stock exchanges must submit a standardized quarterly shareholding report (Annexure A) to the regulator within fifteen days from the end of each quarter, including top ten shareholders, acquisitions, category-wise shareholding (Trading Members, Associates, Public), disclosures for persons acting in concert, and an undertaking by the Managing Director/Executive Director confirming compliance with Regulation 11(1); exchanges must also report implementation status in their Development Report.

Special countervailing duty on imported jewellery limited to equivalent domestic VAT rate under the notification's merit entry.
Import of jewellery from Thailand under the preferential notification is subject to Special Countervailing Duty at the merit entry rate of the notification rather than a higher differential rate. Paragraph 3 excludes only the first serial entry's benefit for goods with nil basic customs duty under a free trade agreement and does not preclude application of other merit-rate entries. The levy's object to offset domestic indirect tax means imported jewellery cannot attract a higher Special CV duty than the comparable domestic tax.

On Site Post Clearance Audit enables premises verification of importer/exporter self assessments and mandates document access.
On Site Post Clearance Audit (OSPCA) enables premises based periodic verification of importer/exporter self assessments, obliges timely provision of all import/export documents including electronic records, authorises auditors to verify declarations and take samples, and prescribes penalties for non compliance; initially applied to Accredited Client Programme importers with phased expansion and coordinated audits to avoid duplication with Central Excise and Service Tax checks.

Technical Textiles eligibility limited to listed products for FPS benefit; non listed grants must be recovered by authorities.
Only the 33 items enumerated in the Annexure qualify as Technical Textiles for FPS benefit; a technical textile is one whose primary criterion is function (e.g., automotive, medical, geotextiles, protective clothing). FPS benefits wrongly granted for exports not on the Annexure within the specified applicability period must be recovered, and Regional Authorities must process claims accordingly.

Works Contract Service exemption may not automatically extend to subcontractors; independent classification determines service tax liability.
Services provided by subcontractors and other service providers to a main works contractor must be classified under their respective service descriptions and are chargeable accordingly; the main contractor's exemption for works contract services in specified infrastructure projects does not automatically extend to subcontractors unless the subcontractor's own activity is independently classifiable as Works Contract Service, in which case the subcontractor too may claim the exemption.

Mandatory TIN and dealer name required for Annexure 2A/2B electronic filing; validated uploads and generated submission ID enable e filing.
The manual outlines submission procedures for Annexure 2A/2B via online entry or a downloadable application: authenticate with TIN and password, select tax period, classify transactions, enter or import data in specified Excel/Notepad format, export a Notepad report from the application, upload and preview on the portal, and note the generated submission ID. Validation blocks improperly formatted or altered files and highlights invalid content in red, requiring re generation through the official software. Mandatory TIN and dealer name requirements by transaction type must be observed before final submission and proceeding to DVAT/CST e filing.

Takeover disclosure formats require specified pre- and post-acquisition holdings, acquisition mode, dates, and diluted capital details.
Formats prescribe mandatory fields for Regulation 29(1) and 29(2) disclosures: identification of Target Company, acquirer and PACs, promoter status, listings; numerical pre and post transaction holdings for shares with voting rights, non equity voting rights, and convertible instruments expressed against total and diluted share/voting capital; mode of acquisition/sale; relevant dates; equity and total voting capital before and after the transaction; total diluted share/voting capital after the transaction; signature and date by the acquirer/authorised signatory.

Online transmission of duty free import authorizations requires quoting authorization numbers and enables automated Customs-DGFT exchanges.
Online transmission of Duty Free Import Authorization (DFIA) via an Electronic Message Exchange System is operational from 13 October 2011; DFIA details must be provided in the revised License Table or prescribed Annexure column when filing Shipping Bills or Bills of Entry. ICES 1.5 will automatically receive authorizations issued on or after implementation and exporters/importers must quote the authorization number. Customs will transmit Shipping Bills to DGFT for export obligation monitoring; DGFT will issue an Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) and, based on it, Customs will release bonds/LUTs/BGs after verification. Amendments require a Customs-issued log print and no imports are allowed after log print until amendment message is received.

Extension of filing deadline for half yearly service tax returns due to newly mandated e filing, allowing extra time to comply.
The Central Board extends the filing deadline for half yearly service tax returns for the April-September period to afford taxpayers additional time to comply following the imposition of mandatory electronic filing for all classes of service tax assesses, thereby modifying the prescribed due date and providing an administrative accommodation to facilitate transition to e filing.

Identification of Export Goods: require speaking orders, prompt deficiency notices and monitoring to ensure timely processing of drawback claims.
For identification and determination of use under Section 74, export goods must be identified to the satisfaction of the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner through examination of physical attributes, documents and tests, and a speaking order with detailed reasons must be issued when drawback is proposed or denied. Any deficiency in drawback claims under Sections 74 or 75 must be communicated clearly to the exporter within ten days; disbursement must follow the Citizen's Charter and Sevottam standards. Field formations must perform periodic sample checks, ensure BRC module data entry, dispose brand rate claims time bound, and create monitoring cells to act against defaulter exporters.

Completion of service requires finalization of auxiliary activities before invoice issuance; invoice timing obligations apply to continuous services.
The notice clarifies that for Service Tax Rules purposes an invoice must be issued within the statutory period after service completion, and completion includes all related activities that enable the provider to quantify and invoice the service (for example measurement or quality testing). The test of completion is the conclusion of those activities that place the provider in a position to issue the invoice; flimsy or irrelevant reasons cannot justify delay. This clarification also applies to determining completion dates in cases of continuous supply of service.

Repatriation rules: income and sale proceeds of foreign assets need not be brought to India after return, and LRS income may be retained.
Income and sale proceeds of foreign assets owned when resident abroad or inherited from a former non-resident need not be repatriated upon return to India; investors may retain and reinvest income from investments made under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Authorised Dealer banks are to inform customers of these clarifications under FEMA.

Permitted currency expansion: FCNR(B) deposits may be accepted in any freely convertible foreign currency under FEMA regulations.
Authorised Dealer banks may accept FCNR(B) deposits in any permitted currency, meaning a foreign currency that is freely convertible under FEMA regulations; banks should notify account holders of this liberalisation, which is issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act and without prejudice to other statutory permissions.

Transfer of imported firearms: DGFT permission dispensed for certain transfers based on import age, owner age, and shooter status.
The Handbook of Procedures, Vol. I (2009-2014), Para 2.43.2 is amended: prior permission for transfer or disposal of imported goods is not required after two years from import; for imported firearms, DGFT permission is not required where transfer occurs after ten years from import or upon the importer attaining sixty years of age; Renowned Shooters need no DGFT permission for weapon transfers five years after import, and those with Renowned Shooter status for three consecutive years require no permission after three years from import.

Amendment to Standard Input Output Norms allows import of liquid paraffin as alternate input for plastic export manufacture.
The Standard Input Output Norms for the Plastic Product Group are amended so the import item description now reads "Mineral Oil / Liquid Paraffin," thereby permitting liquid paraffin to be imported as an alternate input for manufacture of specified export products, with no change to export descriptions, other import items, or quantities.

Special audit empanelment: panel of CA/ICWA to conduct service tax special audits under Section 14AA with specified duties.
A panel of practising Chartered Accountants and Cost Accountants will be empanelled to conduct special audit of Service Tax assessees under Section 14AA as applied to Service Tax; eligibility requires institute membership with a Certificate of Practice, minimum Service Tax experience, no recent professional misconduct or penalization, and no ongoing departmental investigation. Applications will be scrutinized and shortlisted by a Commissioner-appointed Committee, with final empanelment after interview; the panel is normally valid for two years, assignments allocated as required, performance monitored, and auditors must follow Terms of Reference, coordinate with departmental officers, submit detailed certified reports, and comply with conflict-of-interest restrictions.

Dematerialisation requirement enables shifting from trade-for-trade to rolling settlement when non-promoter holdings are sufficiently dematerialised.
Companies that have connectivity with both NSDL and CDSL may be shifted from Trade for Trade Settlement to normal Rolling Settlement if at least 50% of other than promoter holdings are dematerialised (certified by the RTA or, if none, by a practicing Company Secretary/Chartered Accountant) and there are no other grounds for continuation of TFTS; stock exchanges must report the action in their Monthly/Quarterly Development Reports.

Export remittance cap increased for online gateways, allowing higher per transaction repatriation under existing standing arrangements.
AD Category I banks with standing arrangements with Online Payment Gateway Service Providers may accept and repatriate export related remittances up to USD 3000 per transaction through OPGSPs, replacing the earlier USD 500 limit; all other terms of A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.17 remain unchanged and the revision is effective immediately under FEMA, subject to other applicable permissions.