Portfolio Managers must follow consolidated SEBI rules on registration, client fund segregation, related party limits, disclosures and reporting.
Master Circular consolidates SEBI portfolio manager circulars into a single framework effective March 20, 2023, prescribes online registration and change-in-control approval procedures, mandates compliance governance (designation of compliance officer, Board-approved written policies on order execution and allocation), segregation and daily reconciliation of client funds, certification requirements for associated persons and distributors, prudential limits and prior client consent for related-party investments, minimum credit-rating rules, reporting obligations to SEBI and clients in prescribed formats, automated systems for large AUM, RFQ execution targets for corporate bonds, and standardized disclosure of fees, performance, investor charter and complaint data.

Customs brokers must use Add OPS Employee on CBLMS for staff already operating under Form C, not submit new Form C intimations.
Advisory requires customs brokers whose CB Profile is validated by the Parent Policy Section to add employee details for other policy sections already operating under Form C using the "Add OPS Employee" tab; "Intimation under Form C" is reserved for fresh notifications to commence operations under regulation 7(3) of the Customs Broker Licensing Regulations, 2018. The CBLMS user manuals specify login, selection of Existing_CB_Profile or Application Form, required policy-section identifiers, association membership uploads, detailed employee data fields, file format/size limits, and the need to save each employee entry and finalize submission with an attestation of accuracy.

Blocking of Credit: Immediate suspension and cancellation procedures to curb GST input tax credit fraud.
Procedures require rapid verification of intelligence and preparation of a case file within three days, followed by authorized inspection, search and seizure and completion of inspection report within fifteen days. Where evidence shows bill trading and fraudulent ITC, officers must promptly initiate show cause for ab initio cancellation of registration, block Electronic Credit Ledger balances under Rule 86A, identify suppliers and beneficiaries, and pursue adjudication, tax determination and penalties with well reasoned orders within prescribed timelines to prevent automatic unblocking.

Registration Certificate for imports without Minimum Import Price enables controlled import authorisation and quarterly reporting requirements.
Procedure established permitting imports of marble and fresh areca nut from Bhutan without a Minimum Import Price (MIP) subject to prior online application for a Registration Certificate (RC) on the DGFT portal. Applicants must disclose prior imports under any earlier RC; the Directorate will determine maximum quantity caps per RC and RCs remain valid until the financial year end. RC holders must submit quarterly import statements and surrender quantities to designated emails, and DGFT may change allocation modalities or deadlines as required.

Empanelment of valuers: selection and contractual terms for valuation of seized goods, including fee structure and termination rights.
Empanelment of Government-approved valuers and qualified Chartered Accountants is invited to value seized or confiscated goods for fixation of fair price. Applicants must submit applications on plain paper stating a fixed percentage fee with a maximum limit and enclose certified proof of ICAI membership or government appointment. Selected applicants will enter a one-year engagement, must complete valuations within ten days of intimation, and either party may terminate with sixty days' notice. The division may accept or reject applications without assigning reasons.

Investor KYC and nomination norms tighten physical securities compliance, freeze incomplete folios, and standardize RTA service requests.
SEBI prescribed common and simplified norms for processing investor service requests by RTAs and for furnishing PAN, KYC details and nomination in respect of physical securities of listed companies. Physical security holders must furnish PAN, nomination, contact details, bank account details and specimen signature, and folios lacking any required detail after the specified cut-off date are to be frozen, with requests and grievance processing allowed only after full compliance. The circular also standardises document submission modes, dispenses with indemnity except where specifically required, and sets operational rules for signature mismatch, change of name, bank detail updates, address proof, forms, disclosures, compliance certification and reporting.

Import of mobile phones now requires ICDR-issued IMEI certificates and Customs validation to block duplicate or fake IMEIs.
The SOP mandates importers obtain an IMEI certificate via the ICDR portal, which validates TAC/IMEI data against GSMA and ICDR checks and issues certificates with control numbers and QR codes when IMEIs are valid; applications are rejected for null, all-zero, duplicate or invalid IMEIs. Customs must validate presented IMEI certificates on ICDR, perform certificate level validation on 100% of consignments, and conduct random physical examinations of consignments and limited handset switching to verify IMEI conformity, while non genuine markings are handled under prevailing customs law.

Faceless Assessment: importers must upload legible, linked supporting documents to expedite customs assessment and avoid queries.
Faceless Assessment requires importers and customs brokers to upload complete, legible and correctly tagged supporting documents in e-Sanchit at the time of filing the Bill of Entry, including product catalogues, technical write-ups, value-supporting records and applicable compliance certificates. Preferential duty or exemption claims must be supported by origin or concessional documents and statutory conditions satisfied before filing. Specific group-wise and product-specific documents are listed in the Annexure, and additional documents may be requested by the assessing officer as necessary.

E-sanchit upload requirement: mandatory digital filing of supporting documents and attested engineer certificates for customs assessment.
Stakeholders are directed to upload all supporting documents and attested Chartered Engineer certificate on E-sanchit with an image reference number (IRN) before the examination officer records the examination report and forwards the bill of entry for assessment, as a standing order to enhance transparency, reduce physical interface and shorten dwell time.

ICES 1.5 at ICD Varnama enables mandatory electronic filing of import/export declarations and integrated licence, bond and tax workflows.
ICES 1.5 is launched at ICD Varnama to enable fully electronic filing and automated processing of Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills. e SANCHIT uploads on ICEGATE (IRN linkage) are mandatory for supporting documents; DGFT IE Codes, customs broker and shipping line registration are required; designated banks handle duty/drawback payments. The system integrates licence/Bond registration and automatic debits, supports digital signatures for remote filing, enforces code standards (currency, unit, country, port), and prescribes procedures for assessment, query/amendment, inspection, RMS facilitation, and GST/IGST credit reconciliation.

Composite sampling for edible oils extended, permitting testing at FSSAI approved Kakinada laboratory pending review.
Facility permitting the drawal of one composite sample for one vessel of imported edible oils, with testing at the FSSAI approved local laboratory in Kakinada, is extended temporarily for six months from 01.04.2023 to 30.09.2023; all conditions of the original public notice remain in force and further renewal will be reviewed.

Determination of export incentive instrument: customs enforcement suspended pending administrative decision process on MEIS validity.
The Board directs the adjudicating authority to keep the show cause notice under section 28 of the Customs Act pending until the administrative decision on the MEIS instrument is rendered, because the licensing authority's determination on alleged wrongful availment and cancellation of the MEIS scrip is the primary basis for any customs recovery action.

Telecom equipment classification requires alphanumeric identifiers in import declarations to specify the applicable product category under customs tariffs.
Importers must declare an additional alphanumeric code/identifier in the Bill of Entry for goods classified under tariff headings 85176290 and 85176990 to indicate the applicable telecom product category; Annexure 1 illustrates covered product categories (optical transport/OTN, packet optical OLT/ONT, IP radios, VoIP/softswitch, carrier Ethernet/PTN/MPLS, LTE/MIMO/5G) and Annexure 2 provides the mapping of specified identifiers and 'Others' codes for unmapped items.

Qualified RTA status clarified, triggering enhanced compliance obligations and reporting requirements for affected registrars immediately.
An RTA is categorised as a Qualified RTA if its combined physical and demat folios for listed companies exceed the folio threshold during a financial year; the RTA must notify SEBI within five working days. A categorised RTA remains subject to QRTA requirements for the next three financial years irrespective of subsequent folio reductions. Newly categorised QRTAs receive a sixty-day period to comply with enhanced systems, internal policy frameworks and reporting obligations.

Information-gathering powers under GST authorize designated officers to require persons within jurisdiction to furnish relevant information.
Information-gathering functions under section 151 of the Gujarat Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 are assigned to designated Joint Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners. The assigned function permits direction to any person to furnish information relating to matters dealt with in connection with the Act. Each designated officer may perform only this specified function, and its exercise is expressly confined to the officer's own jurisdiction.

Electronic Certificates of Origin valid for preferential claims under ECTA when issued in prescribed format.
Electronic Certificates of Origin issued by Australian issuing bodies that conform to the prescribed format, bear authorized seals and signatures, and comply with Notification No. 112/2022-Customs (N.T.) are valid for claiming preferential treatment under the India-Australia ECTA; specimen seals and signatures are used for authenticity checks, verification requests must be channelled through the FTA Cell when necessary, importers must upload the e-COO to e-Sanchit and record unique reference particulars in the bill of entry, and a printed copy may be used in lieu of defacement of an original certificate.

Refund application time limit: officers must decide claims within the prescribed statutory period, with expedited disposal of pending applications.
Proper officers must verify refund claims and issue final sanction or rejection in Form GST RFD-06 and payment advice in Form GST RFD-05 within the prescribed statutory period counted from the filing date shown in the acknowledgement under the RGST Rules; acknowledgements or deficiency memos should be issued promptly so the decision timeframe runs from the filing date recorded therein.

Reimbursement of late fee available to registered taxpayers filing specified GST returns by the deadline, subject to verification and recovery.
Reimbursement of late fee deposited under Section 47 for April 2021-March 2022 is available only to registered persons who furnished returns/details of outward supplies by 31 March 2023; annual returns are excluded. Claims must be submitted via the Rajtax Portal in prescribed formats, with bank details first updated on the GST portal and verified by the jurisdictional proper officer. The officer shall issue sanction/partial sanction or a reasoned rejection after hearing, and sanctioned amounts are forwarded to the CSDO for budget allocation and payment. Wrongful claims are recoverable with interest and penalty.

Appellate jurisdiction of Joint Commissioner of State Tax (Appeals) clarified; district assignments and head office appeals routed to Ambala.
Joint Commissioners of State Tax (Appeals) are authorised to hear appeals under the Haryana and Central GST laws where the appellant's place of business falls within the districts allocated to them; district-wise jurisdiction is assigned to Joint Commissioners at Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar and Rohtak, and Ambala is additionally authorised to receive appeals against decisions of Proper Officers posted at Head Office.

Recovery of govt. dues from 1,434 exporters under Section 142; contact TRC to clear dues or submit proof by deadline.
A public list of 1,434 exporters with unpaid customs dues at Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai has been published and recovery proceedings under Section 142 of the Customs Act, 1962 have been initiated. Exporters listed must contact the Tax Recovery Cell by 18.03.2023 to clear dues with interest and penalty or submit proof of payment or pending appeals; otherwise recovery measures including attachment of movable and immovable assets under Section 142(1)(c)(ii) will follow.