GST classification of lending and renewable energy certificates places similar scrips under heading 4907 at the applicable rate.
Priority Sector Lending Certificates, Renewable Energy Certificates and similar scrips are classified under heading 4907 and attract GST at 12%. The residual 18% rate applies only where goods are not covered by a specific GST rate-schedule entry. The earlier residual-rate clarification for Priority Sector Lending Certificates is modified. Duty credit scrips classifiable under heading 4907 attract Nil GST under the applicable exemption entry.

GST classification of certificates: RECs, PSLCs treated as goods; duty-credit scrips exempt under GST law.
Renewable Energy Certificates, Priority Sector Lending Certificates and similar documents are classified as goods under the tariff heading for documents of title and attract the GST rate applicable to that heading; duty credit scrips expressly covered by the exemption notification remain exempt. The residual GST entry applies only when no specific schedule entry governs classification.

IGST refund processing: officer-assisted corrections and a PAN-based GSTIN mismatch remedy streamline export refund claims.
Extension of officer-assisted correction for IGST refund processing is authorised to address SB005 invoice mismatches, requiring exporters to align invoice data with GST filings. A correction facility for SB003 cases is provided where differing GSTINs share the same PAN, conditional on a signed undertaking from both entities that the paying office will not claim refund or benefit; DG Systems has developed a correction utility to process such refunds.

Digital disclosure and delivery of NAVs and portfolio statements mandated, with online hosting and opt-in physical reporting options.
Mutual Funds/AMCs must adopt digital-first disclosures: publish NAVs and portfolio statements (with ISINs) on their and AMFI's websites, offer SMS/email delivery to registered unitholders, explain sale/repurchase price methodology with a numerical example, host scheme-wise annual reports online and email them to registered addresses, implement opt-in procedures for physical annual reports for unregistered email holders with a follow-up communication, advertise hosting and request modes in national newspapers, provide physical copies free on request, and update unitholder contact details; compliance required within thirty days except for the second opt-in timing rule.

Total Expense Ratio disclosure tightened: lower allowable additional charges and mandatory daily scheme-wise TER publication.
Amendment reduces the permissible additional expense referenced in prior circulars to a lower specified rate, and requires AMCs to disclose scheme-wise, date-wise TER daily on their website and the industry website in a downloadable spreadsheet showing base TER (excluding specified additional expenses and GST), each additional expense component and GST. Any increase in base TER must be communicated to investors by email or SMS and posted on the TER section of the website at least three working days before effecting the change; decreases due to regulatory requirements need not be preceded by notice.

Preferential issue of InvIT units: rules for eligibility, placement document disclosures, pricing floor, allotment and transfer limits.
Guidelines require a listed InvIT to obtain unitholder approval, comply with listing and minimum public unitholding requirements, and avoid another preferential issue within six months; allotments must be completed within a prescribed short period, units issued in dematerialized form and of the same class as listed units, offered to a minimum of two institutional investors, and priced at not less than the average recent market price on the principal exchange. The preferential issue must be effected through a serially numbered placement document with specific market, valuation, financial and disclosure requirements and accompanied by a compliance certificate when seeking exchange approval.

Drawback payments held up due to invalidated PFMS bank validations; exporters must update bank accounts and IFSC with bank and EDI.
Drawback refunds are withheld where exporters' bank accounts or IFSC details are invalidated in PFMS; exporters must validate bank accounts in PFMS and update bank/IFSC with their bank and the EDI to ensure sanctioned drawback refunds are credited.

Supervised factory stuffing for temperature-sensitive export goods preserves chain of custody and limits port examinations.
Supervised factory stuffing and sealing is permitted for reefer containers with temperature-sensitive export goods where port examination facilities are not sterile; exporters must apply to the jurisdictional Commissioner, give 24 hours' notice, use RFID e-seals, and have Customs officers supervise examination, stuffing and sealing. Permissioned exporter and container details are to be communicated to RMCC and the port; RMCC shall avoid selection of such containers for port examination and reconcile records monthly, with discrepancies prompting a review of permission.

Administrative transfer and posting of state tax officers issued with immediate effect across multiple offices and formations.
State tax officers were transferred and posted in Uttarakhand State Tax Department under the provisions of the Uttarakhand Lok Sevaks Annual Transfer Act, 2017, with immediate effect. The order lists the officers, their existing postings, and their new offices, including postings in mobile units, STF, tax review formations, appeal units, executive offices, and headquarters, and specifies the relevant section against each posting entry. Officers are directed to join their new places of posting forthwith.

Refund eligibility for GST inputs clarified: filing and bonding rules, export validation, and compensation cess treatment detailed.
Input Service Distributors, composition taxpayers and non-resident taxable persons may claim refunds without filing FORM GSTR-1 or FORM GSTR-3B, using instead FORM GSTR-6, GSTR-4 or GSTR-5 respectively. For specified tax periods, exporters who misreported zero-rated supplies in GSTR-3B may claim integrated tax/cess refunds up to the aggregate shown in columns 3.1(a), 3.1(b) and 3.1(c). Unutilized compensation cess credit on inputs used in non-cessable final products is refundable for zero-rated supplies under bond or LUT, but cess credit cannot be used to pay integrated tax when supplies are made on payment. Exports of exempted or non-GST goods do not require bond or LUT for refunds. Rule 96(10) restriction applies only where exporters directly receive goods from suppliers availing specified notifications.

Digital signature requirement removed for e MPS payments, allowing PAN-based login for online miscellaneous payments by exporters and importers.
Requirement of a digital signature certificate (DSC) for making miscellaneous online payments through the e MPS platform has been removed; users may now authenticate and pay using PAN-based login credentials. Regional offices and trade users should implement PAN login for e MPS transactions in place of DSC authentication and follow the updated e MPS help documentation for the revised payment procedure.

GST refund clarification directs taxpayers to follow CBIC circular guidance and inform trade associations for compliance.
Notice directs taxpayers and trade bodies to follow the guidance in CBIC Circular No.45/19/2018 GST regarding GST refund procedures available on the CBIC website, and instructs Trade Associations, Chambers of Commerce and GST assesses to communicate the Circular's requirements to their members while noting a Hindi version will be issued.

Interception of conveyances: procedures for inspection, detention, release and confiscation of goods in movement explained.
Procedure for the interception of conveyances carrying goods in movement and the attendant powers concerning detention, release and confiscation are notified to trade via a departmental notice which refers recipients to a central Circular for detailed procedures; trade associations and GST assessees are directed to disseminate and implement the prescribed inspection and enforcement framework.

Refund clarification under GST: trade advised to follow policy circular guidance on refund procedures and compliance.
Clarification on refund related issues under GST: the notice references a policy circular providing procedural guidance and clarifications on refund claims as a continuation of earlier trade notices, and directs that the circular's contents be communicated to trade association members and the public to ensure awareness and compliance with GST refund procedures.

Brand rate fixation for exports moved to Chennai VII Customs; application and verification procedures established under BRFC.
Brand rate fixation responsibility for exporters in the Chennai GST & Central Excise Zone is transferred to designated Customs formations, with Chennai VII (Air Cargo) as the jurisdictional commissionerate for exports from Chennai VII (INMAA4). A Brand Rate Fixation Cell (BRFC) headed by a Deputy/Assistant Commissioner will accept applications under section 75 of the Customs Act, verify documents (locally or by referral where factories lie outside the Chennai Customs Zone), process applications on receipt of verification reports, and the competent authority will take the final decision.

Entry Inwards timing advanced to pilot station reporting, enabling customs permission before boarding and faster cargo discharge.
To expedite cargo clearance, Entry Inwards will be granted upon a vessel's reporting at the Pilot Station/boarding of the pilot based on automatic message or e mail notice from the Port Control Room and simultaneous notification by the Shipping Line/Agent to the Customs Boarding Office. The Boarding Officer will thereafter complete boarding formalities, verify documents and address any mis declarations irrespective of system granted Entry Inwards. This procedure applies only to Pipavav Port for containerised cargo vessels and aims to allow immediate discharge after berthing.

Customs clearance through postal facilities: coordinate web-based declarations and data exchange to facilitate imports and exports.
Directives require adherence to Circular 14/2018 for personal imports, IEC holder procedures and CN22/CN23 use; onboarding of web based declaration tools by online sellers and Customs Brokers; coordination with Post Masters General for timely CN/CP submission; constitution of local Joint Task Forces with IT representatives to enable data exchange and SECUREX integration; modification of SOPs per Postal Regulations 2018 and Circular 14/2018; timely disposal of unclaimed parcels; contingency planning for e commerce export volumes; and maximisation of X ray scanning and segregation of mail in presence of Customs officers.

Interception and inspection rules for goods-in-transit require e-way bills, specified forms, and staged detention or confiscation procedures.
Establishes procedures for interception and inspection of goods-in-transit under the HGST Act, requiring production of prescribed documents and e way bill evidence; designates proper officers to record statements (FORM GST MOV 01), order physical verification (FORM GST MOV 02), conclude inspection within three working days (or by FORM GST MOV 03 extension), report outcomes (FORM GST MOV 04/Form EWB 03), and issue release (FORM GST MOV 05), detention (FORM GST MOV 06)/notice (FORM GST MOV 07), demand (FORM GST MOV 09), confiscation notice (FORM GST MOV 10) and confiscation order (FORM GST MOV 11), with payment credited to the electronic liability register and provisional release possible on bond and bank guarantee.

E-commerce exports through post require Postal Bill of Export filing, manual customs processing and offline ICAN data upload.
E-commerce exports via Foreign Post Offices must use the Postal Bill of Export (PBE I) filed in duplicate for a single consignor with invoices and CN22/CN23 declarations; PBEs will be processed manually until EDI at FPOs is available, with GST data uploaded via the offline ICAN utility. Customs Brokers may operate at FPOs after onboarding third party web applications that enable PBE data entry, printing, tracking number upload and dashboards, while manual customs procedures and grant of Let Export Order continue.

Refund of Input Tax Credit: clarifications on eligibility, processing, LUT and documentation for zero-rated supplies.
Clarifies refund eligibility and processing under the Maharashtra GST regime: basic customs duty drawback does not preclude refund of unutilized ITC for GST components; Table 9 amendments in FORM GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B rectifications must be considered for mismatches; lower of GST invoice and shipping bill values is to be used for export refund sanction; delayed or retrospective LUT may be condoned where exports are established; only one deficiency memo per refund application is permitted and fresh FORM GST RFD-01A must accompany rectification; transitional credits are excluded from 'Net ITC'; refunds under existing laws follow the prior statutes and are paid in cash.