Refund restriction clarification: pre-deposit refunds for appeals decided for taxpayers remain exempt from the new restriction.
Clarifies that the refund restriction in the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024 does not apply to refunds of amounts paid as pre-deposit when filing appeals under the CGST appellate provisions where those appeals are decided in the taxpayer's favour.

Waiver of interest or penalty: taxpayers may obtain relief for specified past GST demands by paying full tax and complying.
The circular sets out eligibility, filing and processing rules for a waiver of interest or penalty relating to certain past GST demands: taxpayers must file designated electronic applications for each notice/order, withdraw or document withdrawal of pending appeals/writs, and pay the full tax demand (after deducting amounts no longer payable due to retrospective ITC provisions) by the notified deadline to be eligible. Payments may be made from cash or credit ledgers subject to specified exceptions; officers will examine applications, allow hearings, and issue acceptance or rejection orders within prescribed timelines, with deemed approval where timelines lapse.

Retrospective input tax credit entitlement: procedures enable rectification and claiming credit, while refund of paid tax or reversed credit is barred.
Retrospective amendments create an entitlement to claim input tax credit for specified prior financial years and upon revocation of registration cancellation, overriding the time bar in subsection (4), while section 150 bars refunds for tax paid or credits reversed. Tax authorities must apply the retrospective entitlement at all stages-investigation, notices, adjudication, revision and appeals-and taxpayers with final orders may seek rectification under a notified special procedure that prescribes electronic filing, annexures of eligible credit, processing by the original officer, electronic summary uploads, and appeal rights against rectified orders.

Regularization on as is basis accepts lower or nil tax as full discharge; no refunds to higher-paying taxpayers.
The circular clarifies that regularisation on an "as is" or "as is, where is" basis accepts payment of tax at a lower rate or nil as a full discharge of tax liability for the period regularised; taxpayers who paid a higher rate are not entitled to refunds, and the tax position declared in returns is the operative record. Where Council regularisation favours a higher rate, non-payment is not regularised and the tax will be recovered from non-payers.

GST classification and rates updated: HS code and rate changes for extruded snacks, rail AC units, and vehicle seats.
Clarification updates GST classification and applicable rates: extruded or expanded savoury products under HS 1905 90 30 attract 12% from the notification's effective date while un fried or un cooked snack pellets by extrusion remain at 5% and prior periods are liable to 18%. Roof Mounted Package Unit air conditioners for railways are classified under HS 8415. Seats for two wheelers are classifiable under HS 8714 and car seats under HS 9401, with car seats moved to the higher rate prospectively to align with two wheeler seat rates.

GST applicability on educational affiliation, aviation training, helicopter transport and ancillary services clarified and tax liabilities regularized.
Clarifies GST applicability and regularises past liabilities across sectors: affiliation services by universities/boards to colleges/schools (taxable at 18%; exemption for government schools from 10.10.2024; past liability regularised for specified periods), DGCA approved flying training exempt as educational services, helicopter seat share transport taxed at 5% (charter at 18%) with regularisation, GTA ancillary services treated as composite supply when provided in course of transport, exemption and regularisation for specified imports by foreign airlines, PLC treated as part of construction composite supply, exemption and regularisation for electricity utility ancillary services, and regularisation for film distribution theatrical rights.

IGST refund regularisation requires prescribed guidelines where export inputs were imported without payment of integrated tax and cess.
IGST refund regularisation is clarified for exporters who availed refund while importing specified inputs without payment of integrated tax and compensation cess, in contravention of rule 96(10) of the CGST Rules, 2017. State tax officers are directed to follow the referenced central GST guidelines to ensure uniform implementation.

Place of supply for cross-border data hosting services is clarified through uniform application of central GST guidance.
Place of supply for data hosting services supplied by providers in India to cloud computing service providers outside India is governed by central GST guidance adopted for uniform implementation. Field formations are instructed to follow the referenced guidelines on this issue to ensure consistent application of place-of-supply provisions across tax administration.

Input tax credit on demo vehicles requires field officers to follow centrally issued implementation guidelines uniformly.
Input tax credit on demo vehicles is addressed through directions for uniform implementation of the Tripura State Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Specified State tax officers are directed to follow the guidelines contained in an enclosed central clarification concerning the availability of such credit. The supplied text does not state the substantive eligibility conditions or limitations governing the credit.

Advertising services to foreign clients: State tax officers must follow central guidelines for uniform GST implementation.
Advertising services provided to foreign clients are governed by a State GST clarification promoting uniform implementation of applicable GST provisions. State tax officers are directed to follow the annexed Central GST guidelines, issued for consistent administration of the Tripura State GST Act.

GST applicability clarifications must be uniformly implemented by field officers under adopted central guidelines for State tax administration.
GST applicability clarifications issued through the referenced central circular are adopted for uniform implementation within the State tax administration. All specified State tax officers are directed to follow the annexed guidelines concerning GST on certain services. The instruction functions as an administrative direction for field formations and does not itself set out the substantive service-specific clarifications.

Advertisement code: research reports become advertisements when they promote a research analyst's products or services.
Research reports and recommendations are not advertisements by default, but a research report shall be construed as an advertisement if it contains content that expressly or impliedly promotes products or services offered by the Research Analyst. The advertisement code applies to printed materials, any literature used in publications or displays, electronic and wireless communications including social media and messaging platforms, and audio visual forms; a research report is an advertisement irrespective of its mode of dissemination when it promotes the RA's offerings.

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.

Annual RODTEP Return required for exporters claiming RoDTEP; non-filing suspends benefits and attracts composition fees.
Filing of an Annual RODTEP Return (ARR) is required to assess inputs and actual taxes and duties for RoDTEP claims; eligible exporters must submit ARR in the Appendix-4RR format by the prescribed deadline, with non-reporting leading to denial or suspension of benefits and delayed filing subject to composition fees and eventual resumption conditions. Records substantiating ARR must be retained for the prescribed period and ARRs may be assessed or risk scrutinised, with excess claims liable to refund or surrender and potential cessation of benefits for non regularisation.

Prohibition on associating with unregistered advisers: regulated entities must terminate associations absent Board permission.
Regulated persons and their agents must not directly or indirectly associate with any person who provides advice or recommendations related to securities or who makes claims of returns or performance in respect of securities unless such person is registered with or permitted by the Board. Associations through a specified digital platform are exempt only where the platform has Board-satisfactory preventive and curative mechanisms. Investor education providers are excluded if they do not engage in the prohibited activities. Regulated entities are advised to terminate existing contracts with such persons within three months.

Inclusion of mutual fund units in insider trading rules mandates disclosure and reporting of holdings and transactions by designated persons.
Mutual fund units are brought within the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015, requiring AMCs, trustees and their immediate relatives who are Designated Persons to disclose aggregate holdings quarterly (submitted in the format at Annexure A) and to report transactions in their own funds that exceed SEBI's prescribed value threshold per PAN across schemes in a calendar quarter to the AMC Compliance Officer and stock exchanges using the formats in Annexures B and C; the amendments take effect from November 1, 2024.

NRI/OCI/RI participation flexibility permits IFSC-based FPIs majority ownership subject to single-investor cap and regulatory compliance.
SEBI permits IFSC based FPIs to have aggregate participation by NRIs/OCIs/RIs above a majority threshold while maintaining that any single NRI/OCI/RI contribution stays below a specified cap, conditioned on compliance with the SEBI FPI Regulations and the Master Circular; this is implemented by adding an option in Section B-II of the Annexure to the CAF and by requiring submission of a prescribed declaration and constituent schedules (including PAN or alternative documents and look through details) as set out in Annexure 1.

Self-declaration ETA issuance enables license-exempt wireless devices to obtain equipment approval via SARAL Sanchar portal.
ETA for license-exempt wireless devices will be granted on a self-declaration basis via the SARAL Sanchar portal, with applicants required to submit requisite documents and fees and able to download ETA certificates upon submission. ETAs ensure RF compliance, but holders must obtain DGFT No Objection Certificate or other clearances before import and remain solely responsible for meeting import regulations.

Restricted import license debiting: system blocks assessment until license debited; officers must ensure correct scheme code.
Imports of specified IT hardware are restricted and admission requires a valid restricted import license; ICES prevents assessment of a Bill of Entry filed under the restricted Scheme Code until the online license is debited. Officers must ensure Bills of Entry use the restricted Scheme Code and debit the license. APR and ACL role holders may add Scheme Code and license details if omitted. The instruction is issued as a Standing Order and a contact email is provided for difficulties.

Origin determination under FTAs: verification under CAROTAR governs acceptance of third-party invoicing and certificates of origin.
A Certificate of Origin establishes that goods meet an FTA's originating criteria while the seller's invoice is used for customs valuation; third party invoicing is permissible under some FTAs (e.g., AIFTA). If an officer doubts origin, the officer may seek importer information and, if inadequate, trigger verification under CAROTAR via the FTA Cell to contact the issuing authority. CAROTAR does not force disclosure of commercially confidential exporter/third party data or mandate a single currency for COO and invoice. Rule 5(5) allows denial on record information, but trade agreement provisions prevail; substantiated non compliance requires a speaking order respecting natural justice and the FTA's origin formula.