Fake GST registrations and bogus input tax credit require field verification, beneficiary tracing, and cancellation ab initio of non-genuine entities.
GST field officers are instructed to treat fake registrations, fake invoices, and wrongful availment or utilisation of input tax credit as serious revenue-risk indicators. Non-genuine taxpayers include entities issuing invoices without actual supply, persons obtaining registration by fraud or suppression of facts, and shell or dummy entities used for bogus refunds, e-way bills, or circular movement of credit. Officers are directed to remain alert to suspicious registrations and to act on data shared by the apex office or other sources, together with existing instructions and guidelines aimed at curbing fake registrations. Mandatory field verification is to be assigned to suspected registrations, with evidence collected on the existence and genuineness of the business. Where verification shows a non-existent taxpayer engaged only in passing on input tax credit without genuine business activity, the registration should be suspended and then cancelled ab initio from the effective date of registration. Officers are also directed to trace the beneficiaries in the ITC chain, detect bill trading and similar malpractices, and take lawful measures necessary to identify linked suspicious GSTINs and protect government revenue.

Audit access to records: field formations must promptly provide custody records and secure taxpayer documents for statutory audit teams.
Field formations must promptly provide records and information in their custody or required to be maintained by them to the national audit authority conducting statutory audits; where documents reside with taxpayers, jurisdictional officers should request and follow up with taxpayers to procure and submit the records without delay.

Grievance redressal mechanism for GST registration enables applicants to raise ARN-based complaints with zonal commissioners for resolution.
A grievance redressal mechanism requires Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners to publicize an email for receipt of ARN-based GST registration grievances, receive ARN, jurisdiction and issue summary, forward State-jurisdiction matters to the concerned State with copy to the GST Council Secretariat, ensure timely resolution or advise applicants where queries are proper, and submit monthly grievance status reports to DGGST for Board compilation.

Proper officer designation for GST amnesty allows TPS vertical officers to process waiver applications under delegated functions.
Functions under Section 79 are assigned to Deputy State Tax Officers and Assistant State Tax Officers in the Taxpayer Services vertical to enable DSTOs/ASTOs to process applications under Section 128A (waiver of interest or penalty) in accordance with Rule 164 and applicable pecuniary limits; Table 1 of Circular No. 5/2023 is amended to remove a prior reference and to insert Sub section (1) of Section 79 as a distinct entry, implementing the transfer of 128A applications to the TPS vertical.

Cybersecurity compliance thresholds revised: categorisation and exemptions updated, with HSM mandate for top-tier regulated entities.
The circular revises CSCRF classification thresholds and exemption rules, fixes an RE's category for the financial year based on prior year data, and prescribes that the higher applicable category applies where multiple thresholds are met. It specifies recategorizations and exemptions for stock brokers, DPs, IAs, RAs, KRAs, portfolio managers, AIF/VCF managers, MBs and RTAs, reallocates reporting authority for IAs and RAs to BSE Ltd., mandates a dedicated Hardware Security Module for MIIs and Qualified REs while permitting alternatives for lower categories subject to board approved risk assessment, and aligns cyber audits with prior CSCRF guidance.

Section 128A waiver clarifies GSTR-3B payments, prescribed payment modes, and mixed-period appeal procedures under APGST.
Section 128A and Rule 164 are clarified for availing waiver of interest or penalty, or both, on Section 73 demands for 1 July 2017 to 31 March 2020. Tax paid through FORM GSTR-3B before 1 November 2024 is treated as eligible where intended towards the relevant demand, while post-commencement claims must follow the prescribed payment modes. For notices or orders covering both covered and uncovered periods, the taxpayer may file FORM SPL-01 or FORM SPL-02 after paying the covered-period liability and intimate the appellate forum of the intention not to pursue the appeal for that period.

Export policy alignment with Finance Act amendments: consultation invited for Schedule II ITC(HS) 2022, submissions required within seven days.
DGFT issues a consultative Trade Notice seeking stakeholder comments within seven days to align Schedule-II (Export Policy) of ITC(HS) 2022 with Finance Act, 2025 amendments. Annexure I proposes insertions and substitutions to Chapter and Supplementary Notes (e.g., definitions for "Rice, GI recognised" and "makhana" and extensive replacements in Chapters 29 and 38). Annexure II sets out HS code-level changes including deletions, reclassifications and revised policy conditions (Free/Restricted) and inspection certificate requirements for specific tariff items.

Optional T+0 settlement cycle: timeline for QSB system implementation extended to later in 2025 by regulators.
Extension of the deadline for Qualified Stock Brokers to implement systems and processes enabling optional T+0 rolling settlement from the previously prescribed effective date to November 01, 2025; all other provisions of the December 10, 2024 circular remain unchanged and market infrastructure institutions must amend byelaws, implement the change and notify market participants.

ESG rating withdrawal rules refined: providers must follow business model specific withdrawal and disclosure protocols on exchanges.
Specifies business model specific withdrawal norms: subscriber pays ERPs may withdraw ratings only where no subscribers exist for that rating, must not withdraw ratings forming part of subscribed packages, must prevent future redistribution of withdrawn ratings, and may withdraw for non availability of BRSR; issuer pays ERPs face continuity conditions and bondholder consent prerequisites for withdrawal. Subscriber pays ERPs may restrict detailed rating rationales to subscribers but must publish specified minimal rating disclosures year wise on their websites; stock exchanges must prominently disclose ESG ratings and standardized metadata supplied by ERPs. Internal audit and governance committee requirements for Category II ERPs are deferred for an initial period, audit team composition is broadened, and standardized clarification and response protocols between rated entities and ERPs are prescribed while protecting proprietary methodologies.

Electronic processing for personal carriage standardises customs clearance of gems, jewellery, samples and prototypes through designated airports.
Electronic processing standardises personal-carriage imports and exports of gems, jewellery, and eligible samples or prototypes. Importers and exporters must file electronic Bills of Entry or Shipping Bills marked "Personal carriage" with prescribed passenger and transaction details. Imported or exported parcels are declared, temporarily detained, sealed and stored under Customs control against a detention receipt. Import clearance follows verification, examination where required and duty payment; export parcels are examined, granted Let Export Order, sealed, detained at the airport and released to the passenger before departure under Customs escort.

Waiver of interest or penalty under Section 128A allows relief where taxpayers follow prescribed payment and procedural steps.
Section 128A and Rule 164 allow waiver of interest or penalty for demands under Section 73 for 1 July 2017-31 March 2020; payments made via FORM GSTR-3B before 1 November 2024 are eligible if intended for the demand and verified, while payments after that date must follow rule 164 modes (including FORM GST DRC-03/electronic liability register). For mixed-period notices, taxpayers may pay tax for covered periods, file FORM SPL-01 or FORM SPL-02, notify appellate authorities of non-pursuit for covered years, and the appellate authority will decide on periods outside the waiver window.

Margin collection timelines aligned to settlement cycle; non-upfront margins must be collected by settlement day or penalties may apply.
Trading Members and Clearing Members must collect upfront VaR margins and ELM in advance of trade; all other margins must be collected by the settlement day. If pay-in is made by settlement day other margins are deemed collected and no penalty arises; failure by client to pay-in and by TM/CM to collect other margins by settlement day will attract applicable penalties.

Courier shipments: SOP requires electronic ECM filing, EICI verification, FIFO-linked destuffing permission, and escalation for violations.
SOP prescribes that couriers file the Express Cargo Manifest electronically and share it with investigative agencies five hours before arrival; EICI must maintain time-logs, update Form-F1 filings in its internal application, and cross-verify ECM details against Form-01 before issuing a Destuffing Report. Issuance follows FIFO, requires courier requests within two hours of flight arrival and Form-I within one hour, and mandates immediate logging, retrieval, de-stuffing, verification of bag counts, and recording of discrepancies, with escalation to Shift Customs Officers for irregularities.

E-Sanchit document submission for faceless customs assessment requires legible, correctly tagged supporting uploads and mandatory certificates before filing.
Importers and customs brokers must upload legible, correctly IRN-tagged supporting documents in E-Sanchit-technical product materials, photographs, and value-supporting documents-to enable verification of self-assessment. Duty exemption claims require meeting and documenting notification conditions and uploading requisite certificates; statutory registrations (e.g., BIS, LMPC) must be completed and uploaded prior to filing. For provisional assessment under section 18 a reason and declaration must be uploaded. Use appropriate document codes, complete first-time KYC in advance, and follow the illustrative Annexure-A list while responding specifically to any assessing officer queries.

Border checkpoint closure at Attari suspends all passenger and goods movement, with limited return allowed under valid endorsements.
The Government directed the closure of the Integrated Check Post Attari with immediate effect, suspending all incoming and outgoing passenger traffic and movement of goods through the checkpoint, while allowing those who have already crossed with valid endorsements to return via that route within a limited, specified window.

Electronic customs bond system simplifies multi-port compliance through a single unified bond and linked bank guarantees.
The Customs administration has introduced the "Ekal Anubandh" project to enable a single all-India multipurpose electronic bond for importers and exporters, with end-to-end digital execution through ICEGATE. The scheme is intended to replace separate transaction-wise bonds presently filed at different ports for multiple customs purposes, including provisional assessment, export promotion schemes, warehousing, and MOOWR-related procedures, thereby reducing administrative burden, physical record maintenance, time, and cost. The electronic bond may be executed with digital payment of stamp duty and electronic signature through integration with NeSL, without any requirement of notarisation, and may be linked online with electronic bank guarantees and bank guarantee verification.

CITES personal effects exemption for agarwood: small quantities of wood chips, oil, and beads may be carried without export permits.
The Ministry clarifies that under the CITES personal effects exemption in Resolution Conf.13.7 (Rev.CoP17), specified small quantities of agarwood dead specimens, parts or derivatives carried as personal or household effects do not require CITES Export permits or CITES Re-export certificates; Customs officers are to be sensitized and implementation difficulties reported to the Board.

Transshipment permit fee removal streamlines air cargo movement and harmonises ULD temporary import procedures with continuity bond and tracking rules.
Transshipment permit fee is abolished to expedite air cargo movement. ULDs may be temporarily imported outside the customs area on execution of a Continuity Bond by air carriers/console agents. Tracking devices accompanying ULDs must bear Unique Identity Numbers recorded at import and comply with BCAS security guidelines; carriers are responsible for proof of export. Exemption under Notification No.104/94-Cus excludes tracking devices not affixed to containers. Temporary imports by non-carriers remain governed by existing Board circulars. Use of the All-India National Transhipment Bond and ICEGATE transhipment facility is encouraged.

Compounding cap: authority may limit compounding penalty per regulation for certain FEMA contraventions subject to exceptional circumstances.
The compounding authority may, based on the nature of the contravention, exceptional circumstances, and wider public interest, cap the maximum compounding amount at INR 2,00,000 for each regulation or rule applied in a compounding application in respect of contraventions under row 5 of the computation matrix, subject to the authority's satisfaction of the facts and public interest considerations.

Standard Input Output Norms: new SION notified for export of doxycycline dispersible tablets under chemical and allied products, clarifying input allowance.
A new Standard Input Output Norms (SION), SION A-3685, is notified for the export product Doxycycline dispersible tablets under Chemical and Allied Products. The notification prescribes the permitted import input-doxycycline monohydrate (U.S.P./B.P.)-and the per-tablet input quantity as stated in the entry, issued by the Director General of Foreign Trade under the Foreign Trade Policy.