Delisting of Certificate of Origin issuer removes authorization to issue non-preferential origin certificates and deboards it from digital platform.
The Director General of Foreign Trade has removed M/s Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the list of agencies authorized to issue Certificate of Origin (Non Preferential), deleted its name from the regional roster in the Appendices and deboarded it from the Common Digital Platform, with immediate effect, thereby terminating its authority to issue such certificates.

Wastage norms revision: proposed higher precious metal jewellery wastage rates, with stakeholders invited to submit comments within a short window.
The Directorate has put the earlier Public Notice modifying wastage and Standard Input Output Norms for gold, platinum and silver exports into abeyance until 15th September 2024 and circulated proposed revised wastage norms by item and manufacturing method in an annexure. The proposed rates distinguish handcrafted and partly mechanized production across categories such as plain jewellery, studded jewellery, mountings/findings, medallions/coins, and religious idols. Trade stakeholders are invited to submit comments to the Norms Committee by e mail within seven days from issuance to assist finalisation.

GST exemptions and retrospective regularisation clarified for rail, SPV, RERA, reinsurance and digital-payment incentives.
Circular adopts CBIC clarifications under the MGST Act and addresses GST exemptions, applicability and retrospective regularisation. It regularizes GST treatment for Ministry of Railways services and SPV-Railways transactions on an 'as is where is' basis for specified periods; confirms RERA statutory collections fall under governmental-authority exemption; treats specified digital payment incentives shared as subsidy and not taxable when distributed as per NPCI-determined proportions; regularizes reinsurance liabilities (including retrocession) for specified exempt schemes and clarifies exemption for certain long-term accommodation services meeting the notified value and duration conditions.

GST classification updates: key goods reclassified and prior-period transactions regularized under specified compliance conditions.
Solar cookers working on dual solar and grid energy are classifiable under the electrical heating/lighting heading and attract 12% GST. All sprinklers, including fire water sprinklers, and parts of poultry keeping machinery attract 12% GST; amendments expressly include parts and prior period issues are regularized on an as is where is basis. The definition of "pre-packaged and labelled" excludes agricultural produce packages over 25 kilogram or 25 litre from the 5% levy, with past periods regularized. Supplies to or by government engaged agencies for approved distribution programmes are regularized subject to certification and reversal of input tax credit if claimed.

Natural justice obligations require clear, reasoned speaking orders and transparent show cause procedure to reduce litigation and ensure compliance.
Guidelines require GST adjudication orders to be clear, concise and legally sound, delivering speaking orders that set out facts, statutory provisions applied, evidence analysis, and reasons for acceptance or rejection of taxpayer contentions. Adjudicating authorities must respect Natural Justice - impartiality, fair hearing, and reasoned decisions - by issuing comprehensive show cause notices, permitting inspection and copies of relied documents, recording personal hearings, allowing cross examination and adjournments, and quantifying tax, interest and penalty with transparent calculations while specifying remedies and appeal avenues.

Abeyance of wastage norm modification continues; previous SIONs and Handbook norms restored pending review and comments.
Public Notice No. 05/2024 revising permissible wastage and Standard Input Output Norms for metal-bearing exports is placed in abeyance to permit consideration of Norms Committee recommendations and stakeholder comments. Meanwhile, the pre-existing wastage norms under the Handbook of Procedures and the established SIONs for the affected items are restored and remain operative pending the review.

Export obligation periods clarified with pre-import condition from customs clearance, altering compliance timelines for specified imported inputs.
Amendment to Appendix-4J fixes export obligation periods subject to a pre-import condition measured from customs clearance for specified import items, including differentiated periods for categories of spices, drugs from unregistered sources, tea, coconut oil, silk, raw sugar, precious metals for gem and jewellery, penicillin from unregistered sources, natural rubber, notified SION/norm items, maize, walnut, and wheat. Fabrics under the Special Advance Authorization Scheme have their obligation period counted from authorisation issue and may be extended per the Handbook. Certain items are excluded from the table.

IGCR automation requires export-oriented units to obtain ICEGATE identification and register bonds for concessional import clearances.
Automation under the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty or for Specified End Use) Rules, 2022 applies to export-oriented units from 01.09.2024. EOUs must obtain an IGCR Identification Number through ICEGATE and register an IGCR bond before filing a bill of entry claiming IGCR benefit. The automated process also applies to clearances from special economic zones to EOUs once the relevant module is activated.

Weighment requirement for self-sealed export containers now mandatory at centralized plaza before shipping bill registration.
Mandatory weighment of self-sealed export containers at the Centralized Parking Plaza is required before shipping bill registration for specified non-AEO consignments (those with drawback or IGST refund claims above thresholds, consignments under Advance Authorization/EPCG/DFIA, and goods subject to export duty), plus a daily random sample selection. CPP custodians must provide a container weighment slip at registration and arrange weighment to avoid delay; implementation difficulties may be reported to the designated Appraising Main (Exports) officers.

Fraudulent communications: ignore emails demanding payments and use only the official FCRA online portal for services.
All applications and services under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 must be pursued only through the official FCRA online portal and any payment required must be made exclusively via the portal's online payment gateway; fraudulent emails or documents soliciting payments or personal information should not be responded to and verification should be sought through designated FCRA helpdesk and support channels.

Automation of IGCR procedures requires EOUs to obtain IIN and register IGCR bond before filing import entries.
All Export Oriented Units must obtain an IGCR Identification Number (IIN) on the ICEGATE portal and register the IGCR bond before filing bills of entry to claim IGCR benefits; the same automated module will govern SEZ-to-EOU clearances once activated, with implementation effective 01.09.2024 and directives to issue Public Notices, Standing Orders, and provide transitional assistance.

DPD registration verification now requires OTP-confirmed importer email and phone, with local risk manager confirmation for first-time applicants.
First-time DPD registration will require OTP verification of the importer's authorised email and phone via Advait; until DPD officers have Advait access, the DPD Cell will send IEC lists to the Local Risk Manager who will confirm authorised contact details the same day. Importers can request contact changes or nominate a representative through the authorised email. Prior notices on DPD mapping are modified and this Public Notice functions as a Standing Order; operational issues to be reported to the DPD Cell email.

E-Commerce Export Hubs streamline pre-screening, electronic GST to customs linkage, and QR coded package clearance for faster exports.
ECEH operators must electronically capture and validate arriving goods against the GST document, pre screen for description, classification and EXIM policy compliance, modify the GST document if discrepancies arise, and feed validation data into Customs Systems. Upon buyer identification the operator files a Shipping Bill linked to pre screened GST documents, coordinates Customs supervised packing with QR coded packages, files Cargo Ready Report, effects goods registration via QR scanning, triggers RMS assessment or examination as required, and facilitates transshipment and export reporting to establish GST compliance.

Investor complaint review requirements revised: prior board pre approval removed; statements now to be placed quarterly for review.
Amendment aligns REIT disclosure procedures with LODR: the Trustee and Board/Governing Body must ensure investor complaints are redressed and the complaint statement is to be placed quarterly before the Board and Trustee for review; statements of deviation in use of proceeds must be placed for review and submitted to stock exchanges along with financial results. The circular is effective immediately under powers of Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act and Regulation 33 of the REIT Regulations.

InvITs: investor complaint statements to be reviewed quarterly; deviation statements filed with financial results.
The Trustee and the Board/Governing Body of the Investment Manager shall ensure timely redress of investor complaints and shall place the investor complaints statement before them quarterly for review. Statements of deviation in use of issue proceeds must continue until full utilisation or achievement of purpose, be placed before the Trustee and Board/Governing Body for review, and be submitted to the stock exchanges along with the submission of financial results. These amendments are effective immediately.

Waiver of destruction certificate: shipping bills accepted and re export rules relaxed, duty and interest remain payable.
Paragraph 4.49(g)(i) and (ii) now permit submission of all types of shipping bills in lieu of a destruction certificate and remove the requirement to re export unutilised duty free imported drugs to the same supplier; exports after the Export Obligation period that match the Advance Authorisation's description can substitute for a destruction certificate but do not waive liability for applicable customs duty and interest on the unutilised quantity.

Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framework for SEBI entities mandates SOC monitoring, VAPT, audits, CCI and incident reporting timelines.
The CSCRF is a standards based, graded cybersecurity and resiliency regime for SEBI Regulated Entities requiring category specific controls: governance, SOC based continuous monitoring (own/group/third party or Market SOC), mandatory ISO 27001 for MIIs and Qualified REs, structured VAPT and cyber audits by CERT In empanelled auditors with standard formats and timelines, Cyber Capability Index assessments, and mandatory incident reporting (6 hour/24 hour thresholds), RCA, forensic investigation and closure procedures-all to be implemented per the prescribed glide path and reported to the designated authorities.

Exemption for statutory bodies: standardized application process requires prescribed checklist and submission to jurisdictional tax commissioner and CBDT.
Standardizes the administrative procedure for notification under clause (46A) of section 10 by requiring applicants-bodies, authorities, boards, trusts or commissions constituted by or under Central or State Acts-to file applications and all enclosures with the jurisdictional Principal Commissioner/Commissioner or Principal Director/Director of Income-tax and forward an acknowledged copy to the Under Secretary (ITA-I), CBDT, using the prescribed Annexure A checklist. Annexure A specifies identity, legal status, parent Act citation, authorized and actual activities mapped to the clause's purposes, prior approvals or rejections under related provisions, registration status, and three years' financial and tax records, including activity-wise revenue if multiple activities exist.

SGST reimbursement applications must now be filed online through the prescribed portal for eligible industrial units.
Online filing is mandated for applications for grant of entitlement certificate and claim of SGST reimbursement under the Assam Industries (Tax Reimbursement for Eligible Units) Scheme, 2017 and the Assam Industries (SGST Reimbursement for Eligible Units) Scheme, 2021. Eligible units must submit all such applications through the Department's portal from 21 August 2024, and offline applications will not be accepted.

Input tax credit for insurers clarified: ITC available for reimbursed motor vehicle repair costs where insurer is recipient.
Where repair invoices are issued in the insurer's name and the insurer bears the approved repair liability by reimbursing the insured, the insurer qualifies as the recipient of the repair service for the approved claim cost and may avail Input Tax Credit; where invoices include amounts in excess of approved claim cost, ITC is limited to the invoice/to the extent reimbursed for approved claim cost, and invoices not in the insurer's name do not permit ITC.