AEO-T1 continuous certification: auto-renewal requires annual self-declaration and periodic comprehensive compliance review to retain status.
AEO-T1 holders are moved to an auto renewal continuous certification model conditioned on an annual self declaration filed within a prescribed window and subject to zonal review. Zonal AEO Programme Managers record declarations, may seek supporting information, and initiate a Comprehensive Compliance Review based on at least two declarations or from the last successful auto renewal; the zone will approve or revoke continuous certification following review. Annual declarations are filed via the AEO web portal, with exemptions for entities certified within the certification year, and field formations must report any non compliance to zonal and national managers.

Relaxation of compliance timelines: SEBI extends deadlines for KYC, audit and reporting obligations to address COVID-19 disruption.
SEBI extends timelines for specified compliance obligations due to COVID-19, including extended windows for uploading client KYC documents to KRA systems with an interim backlog clearance period; deferred submission deadlines for internal, system and cyber security/cyber resilience audit reports for the March period; deferral of Risk Based Supervision reporting; maintained call recording obligations; and continued permission to operate trading terminals from designated alternate locations subject to immediate mobile confirmation to clients after order execution. Exchanges and Clearing Corporations must notify members and publish the circular.

Instant Access Facility limited to Overnight and Liquid schemes; unclaimed dividend amounts may be invested in low risk overnight funds.
Unclaimed redemption and dividend amounts may be invested in a separate plan of Overnight, Liquid, or Money Market Mutual Fund schemes established specifically for such amounts, provided those plans are placed in the relatively low interest rate and relatively low credit risk cell of the Potential Risk Class matrix; AMCs shall not charge exit load and the plan's TER is capped at the direct plan TER or fifty basis points, whichever is lower. Implementation date for this change is December 1, 2021.

Intra-day NAV applies to ETF transactions with AMCs based on the executed price of underlying securities.
SEBI clarifies that Intra-day Net Asset Value applies to ETF unit transactions conducted directly with Asset Management Companies where the price is determined by the executed price of securities representing the underlying index or commodity(ies); disclosure of this intra-day NAV treatment must be made in the Scheme Information Document, Key Information Memorandum and Common Application Form.

Online C-Form generation permits qualifying interstate purchases before amendment, while later purchases follow the revised eligibility framework.
Until 27 March 2021, registered dealers may obtain online C-Forms for qualifying interstate purchases of goods within the statutory definition and listed in their registration certificates. Eligibility applies where goods were purchased for resale or for use in manufacture or processing for sale under the pre-amendment framework, irrespective of liability under Central Sales Tax law or Tamil Nadu Value Added Tax law. From 28 March 2021, C-Form issuance must follow the amended eligibility framework.

Online refund process for user charges enables electronic claims with verification, time limits and sanction validity.
Amendments set a revised scale of user charges for specified DGFT services and establish an online-first deposit mechanism with eMPS fallback. Refunds are permitted only for excess payments, payments made without an application, or payments made in error by exempt applicants; online refund applications auto-route to the jurisdictional authority or DGFT(HQ), which must verify, obtain PAO authorisation and sanction refunds within one year of payment. Sanction orders expire after three months. Adjustment/refund is allowed where earlier authorisations/scrips are cancelled and replaced, subject to local head approval.

CSR funding for COVID-19 vaccination confirmed eligible under health-care and disaster-management provisions, subject to CSR Rules.
Spending of CSR funds on COVID-19 vaccination for persons other than employees and their families is eligible under Schedule VII entries for promotion of health care including preventive health care and for disaster management; companies undertaking such vaccination-related CSR must comply with the Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014 and applicable Ministry circulars.

GST exemption on board-conducted examinations: fees and related input services exempt, accreditation fees taxable at standard rate.
GST is exempt on services by Central or State educational boards, including the National Board of Examination, when the service is the conduct of examinations (including entrance exams) and on input services relating to admission or conduct of examinations provided to such boards. Services such as accreditation, registration or authorisation provided by these boards are not exempt and are taxable at the standard GST rate.

Dynamic QR Code requirement: B2C invoices must include scannable payment QR or recorded payment cross reference to be compliant.
The circular explains that the Dynamic QR Code requirement applies to B2C tax invoices issued by registered persons exceeding the prescribed turnover threshold, subject to specified supplier and supply exclusions and export e invoicing treatment; it prescribes QR data elements (GSTIN, UPI ID, bank account/IFSC, invoice number/date, total value, GST breakup) and confirms that an invoice is deemed compliant where payment cross references (transaction id, date, time, amount, payment mode) or cash payment details are recorded on the invoice, while suppliers must provide a Dynamic QR Code on invoices when payment occurs after issuance.

Duty drawback risk management enables automated processing of facilitated shipping bills while retaining verification for selected claims.
RMS-based processing of duty drawback claims applies after filing of the corresponding Export General Manifest. Shipping bills are risk-assessed and either facilitated for automatic entry into the scroll-in queue or routed to the proper Customs officer for verification and processing. Facilitated cases are shown in designated drawback reports and flagged in the temporary drawback scroll, with recall available for further scrutiny. Required drawback documents may be uploaded through e-Sanchit at shipping bill filing using applicable document codes.

Foreign investment via automatic route allowed where strategic disinvestment in principle approval exists for PSU petroleum refining projects
The FDI policy amendment creates a conditional exception for petroleum-sector PSUs: while private sector exploration, marketing, pipelines and refining remain allowed under the automatic route and PSU refining was previously subject to a lower foreign equity cap, foreign investment up to full foreign equity under the automatic route is permitted where an in principle approval for strategic disinvestment of a PSU has been granted; effectivity follows issuance of the applicable foreign exchange notification.

SEZ approvals: extensions, shareholding changes and restricted procurement ratified with compliance and disclosure conditions.
The Board approved extensions of formal approvals and LoAs for multiple SEZ developers and units, authorised changes in names and shareholding subject to continuity of obligations, eligibility, security clearances and tax disclosure to CBDT, ratified procurement of restricted items (notably sand/soil) from DTA subject to actual use within SEZs and environmental compliance, granted co-developer statuses with standard SEZ terms, and made miscellaneous determinations including conditional exemptions for an IFSC unit, rejection of an export proposal for a restricted pharmaceutical, deferral of an industrial licence application and restoration of an LoA on appeal.

Extension of Limitation: timelines for filing GST appeals and revisions are suspended until further orders, not original adjudications.
The extension of limitation applies to judicial and quasi judicial proceedings such as appeals, reviews and revisions under GST, while statutory compliances required of taxpayers remain governed by the statute or specific notifications; tax authorities may continue to hear and dispose quasi judicial matters, but actions like scrutiny, searches, investigations, issuance of summons, show cause notices and arrests are not covered by the extension.

Extension of limitation periods applies to appeals and revisions under GST, not to original adjudication or routine compliances.
The highest court's extension of limitation applies to judicial and quasi judicial matters-petitions, suits, appeals, reviews and similar lis pursued within statutory limitation periods-and therefore extends timelines for filing appeals, reviews and revisions against quasi judicial GST orders before appellate authorities and courts. Routine taxpayer compliances, original adjudication actions, investigative and enforcement steps, and many show cause/ordering processes remain governed by the statute and any statutory notifications and are not covered by that extension.

Dynamic QR Code compliance on B2C invoices clarified for UPI details, foreign-recipient services, and linked order references.
Clarification was issued on the applicability of Dynamic QR Code on B2C invoices under the Assam GST framework and on compliance with the notification mandating such code. It states that invoices issued to persons holding a Unique Identity Number are to be treated as B2C supplies for this purpose; separate bank account and IFSC details are not required where the UPI ID is linked to the payee's account; an authorised collector's UPI ID may be used; invoices in specified foreign-recipient service cases may be issued without Dynamic QR Code; and linked order ID or only the balance payable may be shown in appropriate cases.

Deemed exports module introduced online; file TED refund, duty drawback, and brand-rate fixation applications via portal.
An online Deemed Exports Module requires electronic filing for Refund of Terminal Excise Duty, Duty Drawback as per AIR, and Fixation of Brand Rate for Duty Drawback; applicants must upload documents, pay fees, receive a tracking file number, respond to RA deficiency letters online, and submit prescribed physical supporting documents under ANF-7A to the relevant RA within seven days, while legacy physical applications continue to be processed manually.

Export authorisation for SCOMET items must be obtained via the new online module with centralized processing at HQ.
Issuance of export authorisation for SCOMET items is to be conducted exclusively through a new online Restricted Exports IT Module accessible via the DGFT website; all applications for issuance, amendment, or re-validation must be filed electronically and the SCOMET Cell at HQ will remain the nodal point for centralized issuance and processing, with existing pending applications migrated into the new system.

Monetary penalties for insolvency professionals require agencies to adopt graded fines for specified professional contraventions.
IPAs must amend their bye laws to prescribe minimum and maximum monetary penalties and a graduated penalty regime for specified professional contraventions, enabling their Disciplinary Committees to impose fines for failures such as deficient disclosures, conflicts of interest, poor record keeping, improper claim handling, non compliance with adjudicatory directions, outsourcing duties, failure to appoint valuers, non cooperation with inspections, failures in public announcements and creditor notices, mishandling resolution applicants or plans, inaction on suspect transactions, defective contracts, and other bye law breaches; the circular requires incorporation of the amended disciplinary provision and is effective immediately.

GST limitation extension applies to appeals and allied remedial proceedings, not taxpayer compliances, original adjudication, or investigative actions.
Extension of limitation under GST law is limited to judicial and quasi-judicial remedial proceedings, including appeals against quasi-judicial orders and proceedings for review, revision or rectification. Taxpayer compliances, original adjudication, scrutiny of returns, summons, search, enquiry, investigation, arrest, issuance of show-cause notices, reply periods and passing orders remain governed by statutory or notified timelines. Pending judicial, quasi-judicial and appellate matters may continue to be heard and disposed of.

Extension of limitation for judicial and quasi judicial GST appeals covers filing of appeals, reviews and revisions under GST law.
The clarification states that the Supreme Court's suspension of limitation applies to judicial and quasi judicial proceedings in the nature of petitions, suits, appeals, reviews and revisions, and therefore suspension extends timelines for filing appeals, reviews and revisions against quasi judicial GST orders. Taxpayer compliances governed by statutory timelines and notifications remain unaffected by the suspension, and investigative or enforcement actions such as scrutiny, summons, searches, inquiries and arrests are not covered by the suspension.