Extension of validity of CAVR Order for Stainless Steel J3 grade preserves valuation-assistance under Customs Rules.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs extends CAVR Order No. 2/2023-Customs so that its application to Stainless Steel of J3 grade under the specified HS codes continues for the period commencing 29 November 2024 and ending 28 November 2025, invoking powers under the Customs Act and the Customs (Assistance in Value Declaration of Identified Imported Goods) Rules, 2023 to maintain the valuation-assistance framework for the listed tariff lines.

Refund processing after appellate reassessment: sanctioned refunds must trigger ICES amendment and reassessment procedures.
Where appellate or higher forum orders re-assess Bill(s) of Entry, refund claims for excess duty shall be processed within prescribed time limits upon acceptance of that order by the competent authority; following sanction, the Refund Section (Port) will forward the refund order to the Appraising Group to make required amendments or re-assessment in the ICES in compliance with the appellate or higher forum order and after observing due procedures.

Sea Cargo Manifest Regulations require mandatory use of new e-manifest format, affecting filing practices and cargo clearance.
Implementation of the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations (SCMTR) at Tuticorin Customs requires phased adoption of new e-manifest formats by the notified effective date; stakeholders must commence parallel filing immediately as continued use of old formats is allowed only temporarily under the transitional provision in Regulation 15(2). Allocated ASC/ASA/Transhippers must report filing success/failure and repetitive errors to the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner before vessel arrival and escalate unresolved system errors to DG Systems via the Deputy Director with intimation to the Joint Commissioner (EDI).

Low Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear now subject to phased EEQCO compliance with staged testing and identification rules.
The Second Amendment Order, 2024 to EEQCO substitutes a Table prescribing phased implementation dates and specific conformity requirements for Low Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear by reference to IS/IEC 60947 parts. It classifies products by category and rating bands, specifies which tests of the referenced standards are immediately mandatory and which (notably electromagnetic compatibility and application specific tests) are deferred to later dates, and in some deferred cases conditions transitional compliance on a manufacturer declaration to BIS. Appendix A provides product identification guidance for customs enforcement.

Parboiled rice export procedures: sample drawal and bond submission suspended while RMS instructions remain applicable.
Drawal of samples and submission of a bond for goods declared as Parboiled Rice under CTH 10063010 at export is suspended until further orders, while Risk Management System instructions continue to apply and must be followed.

Insurance requirement for CCSPs shifted to reduced average storage period, lowering insurance and custodian bond obligations accordingly.
The Board revised HCCAR provisions to require CCSPs to insure an amount equal to the average value of goods likely to be stored for a reduced storage period as specified by the Commissioner, and reduced corresponding custodian bond values; AEO-LO CCSPs' custodian bonds are valid for the same duration as their AEO authorisation, subject to suspension or revocation under HCCAR.

Equipment Type Approval: license exempt wireless devices granted on self declaration and downloadable after portal submission.
Issuance of Equipment Type Approval (ETA) for license exempt wireless devices is to be granted on a self declaration basis; applicants must file applications with requisite documents and fees on the SARAL Sanchar portal and may download ETA certificates from the portal. ETAs reflect RF compliance only and ETA holders must obtain any required import clearances, including DGFT permissions, prior to import. The Public Notice operates as a Standing Order for Chennai IV (Export) Commissionerate.

Mandatory virtual personal hearings reinstated; physical hearings allowed only on specific request with recorded reasons.
Personal hearings under the specified indirect tax statutes must be conducted in the virtual mode by departmental quasi judicial and appellate authorities; the prior amendment making virtual hearings optional has been withdrawn. Physical hearings may be allowed only upon a specific request from the party and after the authority records written reasons for permitting the physical mode.

Commercial intelligence investigations must balance enforcement with ease of doing business, using proportionate, documented information requests.
Guidelines require the Commissioner to approve and oversee commercial intelligence investigations, necessitate comprehensive pre-initiation analysis of intelligence and records, and mandate that information requests be proportionate, reasoned, and uploaded to the e-file. Summons must follow CBIC instructions and prior approval of content; documents sought must be limited to the inquiry's scope and not be fishing expeditions. Practices should minimize disruption to importers/exporters, allow attendance by authorised agents, avoid routine seeking of publicly available digital records, enable timely closure following payment, and permit Commissioner engagement to address grievances.

Import documentation requirement: liner gate in certificate and customs verification required before release for flexi bag petroleum imports.
Eligible petroleum consignments in flexi-bags gated-in at the Port of Export on or before 27 September 2024 must have a Certificate from the Shipping Liner showing exact gate-in date and time uploaded to e-Sanchit. Customs officers must verify the certificate before granting Out of Charge by cross-checking container tracking systems and retaining screenshots of tracking information as part of the verification record.

Digitization of customs bonded warehouse procedures enables online licensing, bond-to-bond transfers, and electronic monthly returns uploads.
Digitization implements an online Warehouse License application and backend processing on ICEGATE, including officer query and response workflows, warehouse code generation and license issuance; it also enables electronic processing of bond-to-bond transfers across three scenarios with validation, recording of parties, reconciliation of quantity and value, and requirement of the warehousing (triple duty) bond, while retaining the existing physical transfer Form until integration; scanned Monthly Returns (Form A and Form B) can be uploaded, and prescribed security in addition to the bond must be furnished at the Port of Import.

Export testing requirement for rice removed; sampling obligation withdrawn and risk management checks remain mandatory under revised export policy.
The requirement to draw and test routine samples for rice consignments under Public Notice No. 37/2023 is withdrawn following removal of export duty entries and the liberalisation of Non Basmati White Rice export policy; routine live consignment sampling is no longer required, but compliance with RMS instructions and immediate reporting of any discrepancies to the Export Section remains mandatory, and implementation difficulties should be notified to the Principal Commissioner.

Disposal of seized gold: mapping revised so Telangana and Andhra Pradesh consignments are processed at IG Mint Mumbai.
Seized or confiscated gold of 24 carat purity will be processed under existing procedures, with seized gold from Customs Zones in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh now to be lifted and processed by IG Mint, Mumbai in place of IG Mint, Hyderabad; the Instruction updates the FCC-to-IG Mint mapping table accordingly while leaving all other aspects of the prior instructions unchanged.

Synthetic or reconstructed diamonds must include declared production method in import/export filings to improve customs assessment and clearance.
Mandatory additional qualifiers for synthetic or reconstructed diamonds require traders to declare the method of production (e.g., Chemical Vapour Deposition, High Pressure High Temperature, Other) in import/export declarations under the Bill of Entry and Shipping Bill electronic declaration regulations; these qualifiers are to be enabled in systems and made mandatory at filing from 01.12.2024 to improve assessment, technical certification and reduce clearance queries.

Digitization of bonded warehouse procedures enables online licensing, transfer processing, and electronic submission of monthly returns.
Digitization implements an online Warehouse Module on ICEGATE enabling authorised signatories to file warehouse license applications and upload supporting documents, permitting backend processing by proper officers including queries and issuance of a warehouse code upon acceptance. The module also handles online transfer requests across ownership and warehouse-change scenarios with validation of parties, reconciliation of quantity and value, and requirement of the warehousing (triple duty) bond. Scanned monthly returns may be uploaded and web-form filing will follow; prescribed security must continue to be furnished at the port of import alongside the warehousing bond.

Revised list of high end medical equipment narrows used/refurbished import scope and reiterates stringent import and compliance conditions.
The instruction revises and enforces a consolidated list of High End and High Value used/refurbished Medical Equipment other than critical care medical equipment, effective from issue, and reiterates that import of listed equipment is subject to prescribed conditions including Form 5 compliance, residual life and functionality certification by a Chartered Engineer or accredited agency, OEM warranty and maintenance assurances, statutory import authorisations, SPCB/PCC acknowledgement, and customs document verification with enforcement under hazardous waste and customs laws.

Customs bonded warehouse digitisation enables online licensing, goods transfers, monthly return uploads, and continued physical movement records.
Digitisation of customs bonded warehouse procedures through the ICEGATE Warehouse Module enables online warehouse-licence applications, transfer requests for warehoused goods, and uploading of monthly returns. Transfer workflows cover ownership changes, warehouse changes, or both, with validation of goods details, buyer particulars, triple-duty bond requirements and officer acceptance. Physical transfer forms remain mandatory alongside online processing until integrated. Licensees must upload Form A and Form B monthly returns accurately for reconciliation, and the port-of-import officer must ensure the required warehousing bond and security are furnished.

Customs cargo custodianship and service-provider approval governs liquid cargo handling, subject to regulatory compliance and review.
JSW JNPT Liquid Terminal Private Limited is appointed as custodian of imported cargo received at the Additional Liquid Cargo Berths LB03 and LB04 until delivery to tank farms, and as a Customs Cargo Service Provider for handling that cargo. The appointments are subject to the Customs Act, the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, 2009, and applicable regulatory directions. They operate for two years, remain subject to review for non-compliance, and require fresh fire and pollution-control documentation in the company's name within six months.

Restricted IT hardware imports require Scheme Code 14 declaration and online licence debiting before electronic assessment can proceed.
Restricted imports of specified IT hardware require a valid restricted-import licence, and Bills of Entry must be filed under Scheme Code 14 with the licence number declared. Electronic assessment cannot proceed until the online licence is debited. Officers must ensure use of Scheme Code 14 and system-based licence debiting. Where the importer omits the applicable Scheme Code, APR or ACL role holders may add the Scheme Code and licence details to the Bill of Entry in ICES.

Digital warehouse licence processing requires prescribed ICEGATE port codes, routing each application to the designated Customs officer.
Digital processing of warehouse licence applications in Bengaluru Customs Zone requires applicants to select the prescribed ICEGATE port code according to the warehouse location and jurisdiction. Bengaluru applicants must use INBLR4 for the AP and ACC Commissionerate or INWFD6 for other jurisdictions, while Mangalore applicants must use INNML1. ICES will create port-code-linked roles for Customs officers, and applications filed using the designated code will be routed to the relevant officer.