e-Way Bill system: inter-State mandatory Feb 1; intra-State implementation by states before June 1; provisional refund relaxations.
The Council approved rollout of a nationwide e-Way Bill System: trial inter-State operation by 16 January and compulsory inter-State operation from 1 February, with States free to implement intra-State e-Way Bills on any date before 1 June, 2018. States with existing systems may continue until migration. The Council also authorised provisional and final refunds without electronic matching for specified categories (zero-rated supplies, inverted duty, IGST on zero-rated supplies, deemed exports) subject to an undertaking to repay if legal conditions for input tax credit are not met.

Re-export requirement for imported durable containers: timely proof or extensions are mandatory or enforcement action may follow.
Imported durable containers are exempt from customs duty subject to a bond obliging re-export within six months or payment of duty; liners/shipping agents registered under Continuity Bonds must re-export or seek extensions per Notification No. 104/94 and Circular No. 83/98. Due to frequent failure to submit Transshipment Applications as proof of re-export, liners/shipping agents are directed to file proof with the ITP Cell within one week after sailing or obtain extensions at least one month before bond expiry, failing which action under the Customs Act, 1962 will follow.

Electronic sealing requirement phased from voluntary adoption to mandatory use for eligible exporters and approved premises.
Exporters with RFID e-seals stuffing containers at approved premises where readers are available may voluntarily adopt e-sealing immediately; the regime will transition to mandatory application for exporters permitted self-sealing and AEO exporters or those availing supervised stuffing at their premises for export through the Customs jurisdiction, with a later mandatory start for a specified ICD. EDI registration validity at the Port of Export is extended until the ICD mandatory start date. Difficulties should be notified to Customs.

Electronic sealing of export containers now mandatory for specified exporters; approved vendors and verification procedures prescribed.
Electronic sealing of export containers is mandated for specified entitled exporters at the Custom House, Tuticorin, who must obtain e seals from listed approved vendors; e sealed containers may be taken to any CFS or ICD for standard export formalities, and will not be opened for examination unless system selected, with Customs officers performing seal verification and gate reading to allow export when readings are in order.

Customs jurisdiction transfer reallocates preventive and trade facilitation functions to Vijayawada commissionerate, expanding duties formerly with central tax.
All customs preventive, anti smuggling and trade facilitation functions, including customs functions formerly performed by Central Tax officers, are transferred to the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Vijayawada for specified districts of Andhra Pradesh, with operational responsibility allocated to named formations and units (ports, divisions and trade facilitation centres) and staffing delineated; the transfer takes effect from the notified date of the relevant Customs notification.

Self sealing permission: exporters to apply at designated Export Facilitation Centres for single instance authorization under CBEC circulars.
Export Facilitation Divisions and Export Facilitation Centres are established under the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Vijayawada to receive and process applications for one time self sealing permission under the CBEC Circulars. Grant of the single instance self sealing authorization is to be made by the jurisdictional Customs Commissioner based on a verification report submitted by the Superintendent of the relevant customs area. Each EFD/EFC's location, district jurisdiction, and supervisory officers are specified to direct exporters where to apply.

Countervailing duty rebatability as drawback clarified; claimable via brand rate when inputs were used in exported goods.
Countervailing duties are rebatable as Duty Drawback but, since they are excluded from All Industry Rates, such drawback must be claimed via Brand Rate applications; drawback is admissible only where verification confirms that inputs on which countervailing duty was paid were actually used in the exported goods. When imported goods subject to countervailing duty are exported as such, drawback includes the incidence of countervailing duty as part of total duties paid, subject to other conditions.

Countervailing duty rebatability: can be claimed as drawback via brand-rate application when inputs bearing CVD are used.
Countervailing duty on imports is rebatable as duty drawback and must be claimed by applying for a brand rate under the Drawback Rules; drawback is admissible only when verification confirms that inputs which bore countervailing duty were actually used in the exported goods. If imported goods subject to countervailing duty are exported as such, the drawback on their export will include the countervailing duty component, subject to other drawback conditions.

Amendment of Commissioner's Order updates appellate officer designations and fixes retrospective commencement for specified clauses.
The order substitutes in the table the designation State Tax Officer with Assistant Commissioner, and substitutes the designations Senior Joint Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, and Special Commissioner with Senior Joint Commissioner (Appeals), Additional Commissioner (Appeals), and Special Commissioner (Appeals). The Column 2 substitution is deemed effective from 16 October 2017 and the Column 3 substitutions are deemed effective from 15 November 2017.

No Use Bond requirement clarifies DPD importer, CFS and gate officer responsibilities for release pending PGA NOC.
Establishes operational requirements for furnishing and monitoring the No Use Bond where FCL import clearances under Direct Port Delivery require NOC from Participating Government Agencies; limits bond use to approved DPD importers registered with terminal operators, mandates CFS DPD stacking code, permits storage and sampling in CFS DPD areas pending NOC, allows continuity or consignment bonds, assigns CFS, importer/broker and gate officer responsibilities to verify delivery orders and PGA NOCs, requires gate register entries, and tasks Group officers with finalising or cancelling bonds and initiating action on adverse PGA reports.

Office relocation of GST range offices updates official premises; trade associations must inform members and take necessary action.
Shifting of office premises for Range IV and Range V (Kathua) is announced: both Range offices have moved from College Road, Shiv Nagar to Avalon House, Ward No 16, Upper Shiv Nagar, near OBC Bank on the National Highway, Kathua; Trade and Industry Associations are requested to inform their members and take necessary action.

Proof of export requirements updated: submit exporter copy, customs attested invoice and bank e BRC to validate exports.
Removal of the Exchange Control and Export Promotion copies of the shipping bill requires alternate proof of export for gold, silver, platinum and related articles: furnish a self attested photocopy of the Exporter's Copy of the shipping bill, a customs attested invoice, and a bank certificate or e BRC in Appendix 2U as proof of export to enable release of margin money or bonds by banks and nominated agencies.

Countervailing duty rebatability confirmed; drawback claim via brand rate after input-use verification, or included when goods exported as such.
Countervailing Duties are rebatable as duty drawback under Section 75 but are excluded from All Industry Rates; therefore drawback for such duties must be claimed by applying for a Brand Rate under Rule 6 or Rule 7 of the Drawback Rules, and will be allowed only when verification confirms the dutiable inputs were actually used in the exported goods. If imported goods that attracted Countervailing Duties are exported as such, drawback under Section 74 includes the Countervailing Duty as part of duties paid, subject to other conditions.

International transshipment designation for LCL shipments allocates a specialized customs area for controlled transshipment operations.
The Commissioner of Customs de-notifies a previously authorised portion of Warehouse C for LCL export handling and re-notifies that 1600 sq. ft area in the south eastern part of Warehouse C (CW-19, CW-20, CW-21) at Triway CFS for the specific purpose of international transshipment of LCL shipments and related operations, subject to compliance with the Board Circular on transshipment procedures and the Public Notice procedure governing such handling.

Acceptance of e-BRC as proof of export realization permits use under drawback scheme for specific export periods.
Acceptance of DGFT electronic Bank Realization Certificates (e-BRC) is permitted as proof of realization for exports with LEO dates from 12.08.2012 to 31.03.2014 under the drawback scheme, except where specific intelligence of misuse exists; acceptance is conditional on an exporter declaration on the back of the e-BRC and does not alter customs' ability to seek further verification regarding allocation of deductions relevant to drawback.

Excess tax waiver on tool sales extends to interest and penalty, subject to refund and treasury deposit conditions.
Waiver of excess tax, interest and penalty was directed for sales of all types of tools during the specified period, covering tax charged in excess of 4 per cent and any additional tax under Schedule-2. The waiver was subject to conditions that amounts recovered from customers would not be refunded, and any tax collected but not deposited in the treasury had to be deposited. The concerned tax assessing officer was empowered to pass orders giving effect to the waiver.

E-way bill coverage clarified for beedi and taxable wood goods under the Uttar Pradesh notification
The circular clarifies the scope of the e-way bill regime introduced by the Uttar Pradesh notification dated 06.12.2017. It states that e-way bill form 02 applies to the transport, movement, storage, or carriage of notified taxable goods, and that the scope of coverage is determined with reference to HSN classification. It further explains that beedi falls within the notified tobacco category under HSN code 2403, while in Chapter 44 only taxable wood and timber goods are covered, excluding exempt items such as fuel wood, wood waste, and wood charcoal.

GST migration instructions require corrected trader details, careful PAN verification, and timely zone-wise submission before the deadline.
Instructions were issued for GST migration of registered traders whose Provisional ID and password had not been generated on the desired PAN after PAN updation. Field officers were required to compile the details zone-wise in the prescribed Excel format and send them to the headquarters e-mail address, including registration number, existing PAN, new PAN, legal name and trade name, while ensuring that PAN, legal name and trade name were checked carefully to remove errors. After the deadline, no further data would be accepted or forwarded to GSTN, and any trader left out of migration for non-submission would bear responsibility for the omission.

Appellate authority designations: appeals now lie to specified higher tax officers, clarifying hierarchical appellate forum and jurisdiction.
The order authorises specified officers to act as Appellate Authorities under section 107, pairing adjudicating authorities with their respective appellate forums: State Tax Officer/Deputy Commissioner to Senior Joint Commissioner; Joint Commissioner to Senior Joint Commissioner or Additional Commissioner; Senior Joint Commissioner to Additional Commissioner; and Additional Commissioner to Special Commissioner, with the arrangement effective from the commencement date stated in the order.

Delegation of tax administration powers to specified officers enabling assessment, refund, enforcement and recovery across jurisdictions.
The Commissioner delegates specified statutory powers under the West Bengal GST Act, 2017 to designated officers (ranks from Assistant Commissioner up to Special Commissioner) for functions including notices to return defaulters, levy of late fees, provisional and final refunds, assessments, audit and scrutiny, search and seizure, sealing and inventory of premises and goods, provisional attachment, recovery and confiscation, transit detention and seizure, registration and transitional credit matters, and appellate/revisional authority, subject to territorial jurisdiction and effective from mid-October 2017.