Late fee for delayed annual GST return applies until both GSTR 9 and GSTR 9C are filed, where required.
Where FORM GSTR-9C is required, the annual return is only complete when both FORM GSTR-9 and FORM GSTR-9C are furnished; the late fee under subsection (2) of section 47 is leviable for delay in furnishing the complete annual return, computed from the due date until the date both components are filed. If FORM GSTR-9C is not required, the late fee period runs until FORM GSTR-9 is filed. A specified waiver limits excess late fee for certain past years if FORM GSTR-9C is filed by the notified cutoff date, without entitlement to refund of amounts already paid.

GST exemption for payment aggregators covers low-value card settlements; acquiring bank definition applies to such aggregators.
Penal charges levied by banks and NBFCs under RBI directions replacing penal interest are charges for breach of loan terms and not subject to GST. RBI regulated Payment Aggregators that receive, pool and settle card payments from escrow accounts qualify as "acquiring bank" for the low value card settlement exemption, limited to settlement functions and excluding payment gateway services. Several past periods' GST treatments are regularised on an "as is where is" basis in line with GST Council recommendations, including R&D grants, NSDC training partner skilling services, incidental electricity service exemptions, reverse charge on certain rentals, and Goethe Institute services.

GST regularization of co insurance premium and ceding commission payments clarified and regularized retrospectively on an as is basis.
Exclusion from supply under Schedule III applies to co insurance premium apportionment where the lead insurer pays tax on the full premium, and to insurer to reinsurer services where the reinsurer pays tax on the gross reinsurance premium inclusive of ceding commission. The State has regularised GST payment for these specified transactions retrospectively on an as is where is basis and enacted the provisions by amendment brought into force by departmental notification.

Exporter grievance redressal through NIRYAT SAMVAAD enables individualized monthly resolution and escalation of exporter concerns.
NIRYAT SAMVAAD establishes a monthly grievance redressal mechanism focused on individual exporter complaints, operating in hybrid mode with submissions required by the prescribed monthly cut off via email using the specified subject format. The forum will attempt real time resolution of issues and escalate unresolved matters to relevant authorities. Systemic industry concerns remain within the Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee and Permanent Trade Facilitation Committee. The Appraising Main (Export) section is the designated nodal administrative unit to administer and execute the forum, and Export Promotion Councils and exporters' associations are encouraged to participate.

Enhancement of women participation in EXIM trade: outreach session and helpdesk offering skills training and AEO support.
An outreach programme by Import-II Commissionerate aims to enhance women's participation in the EXIM trade by informing importers, exporters and logistics operators about opportunities and skill upgradation initiatives. A facilitation helpdesk at the AEO Cell will assist with queries on skill improvement and AEO programme support, and a nodal officer has been appointed to coordinate the initiative; stakeholders are invited to participate and submit queries to the stated contact.

Mandatory coal import qualifiers required to specify ash content or calorific value, improving assessment and clearance efficiency.
Mandatory additional qualifiers must be declared in import declarations for coking and non coking coal (CTH 2701) at the time of filing the Bill of Entry under the Electronic Integrated Declaration and Paperless Processing Regulations, 2018. The Annexure prescribes qualifier codes mapping coking coal to ash content bands and non coking coal to gross calorific value bands to improve assessment, reduce queries and facilitate cargo clearance; the requirement is effective from 15.12.2024 and the Public Notice serves as a Standing Order for departmental officers.

Disclosure of carry forward losses mandated in Information Memorandum to aid resolution applicant assessment and plan formulation.
Insolvency Professionals must include a dedicated IM section detailing the quantum of carry forward losses available to the corporate debtor, a breakdown of those losses under the Income Tax Act, 1961, the applicable time limits for utilization, and an explicit statement where no carry forward losses exist; this requirement follows an amendment to Regulation 36 of the CIRP Regulations and is issued under section 196 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Local currency settlement permitted: Indian rupee and Maldivian rufiyaa allowed alongside ACU mechanism for bilateral trade.
India-Maldives bilateral trade may be settled in Indian Rupee and/or Maldivian Rufiyaa in addition to the ACU mechanism, pursuant to the November 2024 Memorandum of Understanding; the change applies to trade transactions governed by the specified provision of the FEMA (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023, takes effect immediately, and is issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, with AD Category I banks required to inform their constituents and observe any other statutory permissions.

Compounding of offences: revised framework allows filing anytime, sequences affect compounding charges and payment terms.
Guidelines set the framework for compounding of offences under the Income Tax Act: all offences are compoundable, compounding is not admission, and applications may be filed at any time before the jurisdictional Principal CCIT/CCIT/Pr. DGIT/DGIT using the Annexure I affidavit format. Pending applications as on issuance are governed by the revised rules without fresh filing or fee; defective applications may be cured within one month. Compounding charges are re computed for pending matters as first applications and for subsequent applications are increased by multiplicative rates per sequence, with a 50% surcharge for applications filed more than 12 months after prosecution initiation; payment extensions up to 24 months are allowable without interest.

Custodianship suspension halts fresh intake at a CFS; existing goods may be cleared during office hours after due officer process.
Custodianship of M/s. Sudharsan Logistics Pvt. Ltd., CFS, Chennai has been suspended under Regulation 11(2) of HCCAR, 2009 until further orders; fresh receipt of import/export goods into the CFS is stopped forthwith except where bills of entry or shipping bills were filed before the suspension, and goods held as on the suspension date may be cleared during office hours only after due process by the proper officer.

Waiver of interest or penalty: full tax payment and prescribed forms enable relief under Section 128A, subject to conditions.
Section 128A permits waiver of interest or penalty or both for specified section 73 demands subject to eligibility categories (notices/statements unadjudicated; orders without appellate/revisional disposal; appellate/revisional orders without tribunal disposal). Applicants must file prescribed electronic forms, pay the full tax demanded (with ELR or DRC mechanisms and limited ITC usage exceptions), and comply with timelines; officers process applications under Rule 164 issuing SPL-05/SPL-07, with deemed approval if prescribed time lapses and specific conditions making waivers void where appellate enhancements or unpaid residual interest/penalty remain.

Extension of input tax credit time limit enables retroactive ITC claims, with special rectification procedure and limited refund exception.
Retrospective insertion of sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) to section 16 of the WBGST Act extends the period for availing input tax credit for specified past financial years and for periods affected by revocation of registration cancellation. The Amendment bars refunds of tax paid or ITC reversed due solely to these retrospective provisions, subject to an exception for pre-deposit repayments on successful appeals. A special rectification procedure under section 148 (Notification No. 309-F.T.) prescribes filing, documentation, officer responsibility and timelines to seek rectification of orders confirming demands for alleged wrong availment under sub-section (4).

Ineligible ITC reversal reporting requires permanent and temporary reversals to be separately disclosed in GSTR-3B for IGST settlement.
Ineligible IGST input tax credit must be correctly disclosed and reversed in Table 4 of FORM GSTR-3B. Permanent reversals, including blocked credit, credit attributable to exempt or non-business supplies, and credit unavailable because of time-limit or place-of-supply restrictions, are reported in Table 4(B)(1) or Table 4(D)(2) and are appropriated during IGST settlement. Temporary reversals capable of later reclaim are reported in Table 4(B)(2), with reclaim disclosed in Table 4(A) and Table 4(D)(1). Proper Officers must verify GSTR-3B against GSTR-2B and monitor compliance.

Stock and Sale export authorizations: permitted to overseas stockists subject to end-use certifications and IMWG approvals.
Amendments permit bulk export of SCOMET items under the Stock and Sale policy from an Indian exporter to an overseas stockist (subsidiary/parent/affiliate/OEM/EMS/CM) subject to documentary proof of relationship, an End Use/End User Certificate listing destination countries, purchase documentation, technical specifications and compliance documents; IMWG grants authorization and in-principle re-export approvals to specified countries, while re-exports to non-preapproved countries require fresh application with EUCs and supporting documents and will be considered on end-use verification. Reporting, annual inventory statements and penalties for non-compliance apply.

Rights issue timelines shortened; exchanges must validate bids and enable automated validation for faster allotment.
Rights issues must be completed within 23 working days from Board approval; issues must remain open between seven and thirty days. Annexure I sets a detailed timeline from Board approval through RE credit, dispatch of letter of offer, bid validation by Stock Exchanges, Depositories and Registrars, issue closure, reconciliation, allotment, fund transfers, listing and commencement of trading. Stock Exchanges and Depositories must develop an automated investor application validation system within six months. ASBA procedures and the roles of SCSBs, Stock Exchanges and RTAs for public issues apply mutatis mutandis to rights issues. Consequential amendments to the Master Circular and filing procedures are prescribed.

Unified electronic customs bonds enable nationwide obligation management, electronic execution, and linked bank guarantees through phased digital implementation.
The Single Unified Multi-Purpose Electronic Bond framework permits importers and exporters to use one all-India electronic bond instead of separate transaction-wise customs bonds at different ports. Users may select obligations, add obligations or bond amounts later, pay stamp duty electronically, and execute bonds with electronic signatures without notarisation. The system also provides online linking and verification of electronic bank guarantees through ICEGATE, with phased implementation supported by detailed advisories.

GST registration revocation powers are authorised for exercise by the designated Joint Commissioner under the State GST Rules.
The Joint Commissioner of State Taxes and Excise (EIU) is authorised to exercise powers under the first proviso to Rule 23 of the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017. The authorisation is issued by the Commissioner under delegated powers available under the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and concerns GST registration revocation proceedings.

GST classification and rates clarified: pepper, popcorn, AAC blocks, and agriculturist supplies exempt from registration.
Clarification of GST classification and rates: pepper of genus Piper is under HS 0904 and attracts 5% GST; dried pepper and raisins supplied by an agriculturist are exempt and such agriculturists are not liable to registration under Section 23(1) of the CGST Act. Ready-to-eat popcorn mixed with salt and spices is under HS 2106 90 99 and attracts 5% GST if other than pre-packaged and labelled and 12% if packaged and labelled; sugar-coated popcorn is under HS 1704 90 90 at 18% GST. AAC blocks with over 50% fly ash fall under HS 6815 attracting 12% GST. The Central TRU circular is to apply mutatis mutandis to the Goa GST Act.

Late fee for delayed annual return arises until the complete GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C are furnished together or subsequently.
Late fee under sub-section (2) of section 47 CGST Act is leviable for delay in furnishing the complete annual return under section 44, which includes both FORM GSTR-9 and FORM GSTR-9C where required; the fee is computed from the due date of the annual return until the date the complete return is furnished and is not separately leviable for delayed furnishing of each form. A waiver exempts additional late fee beyond that payable up to the date of furnishing FORM GSTR-9 for fiscal years up to FY 2022-23 if FORM GSTR-9C is filed by 31 March 2025.

GST applicability on penal charges clarified: penal charges by regulated entities for loan breaches are not subject to GST.
The circular applies the Central TRU clarifications mutatis mutandis in Goa, confirming that penal charges levied by regulated entities under RBI directions are charges for breach of contract and not subject to GST; that RBI regulated Payment Aggregators qualify as "acquiring banks" for the Sl. No. 34 exemption for settlement of single transactions up to two thousand rupees (limited to settlement functions, excluding gateways); and regularises various GST positions on R&D grants, skilling services, renting by unregistered persons to composition taxpayers, electricity ancillary services, and Goethe Institute supplies for specified historic periods on an "as is where is" basis.