Special window for transfer and dematerialisation of physical securities opens Feb 5, 2026 allowing transfers with one-year lock in.
A one year special window from February 5, 2026 to February 4, 2027 permits transfer and mandatory dematerialisation of physical securities where the transfer deed was executed prior to April 1, 2019, including prior rejected lodgements. Transferees must submit original certificates, the pre April 1, 2019 transfer deed, proof of purchase, KYC, a DP attested Client Master List, and an Undertaking cum Indemnity. Securities must be credited only in demat form and are subject to a one year lock in; disputes and securities transferred to IEPF are excluded. Listed companies/RTAs must verify identity and signatures, publish a 30 day notice when required, and process complete requests within 70 days.

Direct credit of securities to investor demat accounts replaces LOC requirement, subject to DP attested CML and 30 day processing.
SEBI abolishes the requirement for issuance of a Letter of Confirmation and directs RTAs/issuer companies to verify investor service requests and initiate demat conversion requests to credit securities directly into the investor's demat account. The investor must supply a DP attested Client Master List not older than two months and a demat conversion request form. RTAs must complete credit within 30 days, notify the investor after confirmation, retain and deface physical certificates where available, and record lock in details when applicable; changes take effect April 02, 2026.

Designation of Central Assistant Public Information Officer for Chennai Customs Zone under the RTI Act appointed.
Designation under Sec 5(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 appoints Smt. Kamakshi Muralidharan, Superintendent of Customs, as Central Assistant Public Information Officer for the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Chennai Zone, with the office address and telephone contact provided for public access.

Entry Inwards procedures enable cargo discharge immediately after berthing through remote verification of Pilot On Board vessel information.
Entry Inwards is delinked from completion of physical boarding formalities to reduce the interval between berthing and cargo discharge. After a vessel reports at the Pilot Station or the pilot is confirmed on board, relevant vessel details must be sent to the Customs Docks Office by port control, vessel traffic services, and the vessel or steamer agent. Following verification, the Boarding Officer may grant Entry Inwards in ICES by email, which authorises commencement of cargo discharge. Physical document verification and boarding checks continue, and discrepancies or misdeclarations remain subject to action under the Customs Act.

CSD refund processing follows centrally prescribed guidance mutatis mutandis, with implementation issues referred for clarification.
Canteen Stores Department (CSD) refund applications under Delhi GST must be processed, mutatis mutandis, in accordance with Central Tax Circular No. 227/21/2024-GST. The guidance applies for implementing the Delhi Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, to maintain uniformity in handling CSD refund claims. Implementation difficulties may be brought to the office of the Commissioner of State Tax, Delhi.

Corporate guarantee taxability and valuation guidance applies mutatis mutandis to related-person supplies under GST law.
Taxability and valuation of services arising from corporate guarantees between related persons are governed under the Delhi GST framework by applying, mutatis mutandis, the corresponding Central GST clarification. The guidance addresses treatment of corporate-guarantee arrangements as supplies of services and valuation issues in related-person transactions. It is clarificatory in nature and intended to secure uniform implementation under the DGST Act, 2017.

Withdrawal of Earlier GST Clarification aligns state-tax implementation with the central approach and channels operational difficulties for resolution.
Withdrawal of the earlier GST clarification dated 26 June 2024 is applied mutatis mutandis under the Delhi Goods and Services Tax framework in line with the corresponding central indirect-tax position. The measure is clarificatory and is intended to secure uniform State Tax implementation. Difficulties arising during implementation may be brought before the Commissioner of State Tax for consideration.

Secondary and post-sale discounts under GST receive uniform clarificatory treatment through corresponding central guidance for Delhi GST implementation.
GST treatment of secondary or post-sale discounts is clarified for Delhi GST administration through mutatis mutandis application of the corresponding central GST clarification. The position is clarificatory in nature and is intended to promote uniformity in implementation under the Delhi GST framework. Implementation difficulties concerning treatment of such discounts may be referred to the Commissioner of State Tax, Delhi.

GST applicability clarifications for certain services apply mutatis mutandis under the DGST Act, with implementation issues referred appropriately.
Delhi State Tax applies, mutatis mutandis, the CBIC clarification on GST applicability to certain services for implementation under the DGST Act, 2017. The clarification is clarificatory in nature, and implementation difficulties may be brought to the Commissioner of State Tax, Delhi.

HSNS Cess accounting heads designated for payment, interest, penalty and other receipts to facilitate compliance.
Specific eight digit accounting head codes are prescribed for payments under the HSNS Cess: separate codes for cess receipts, interest, penalties and other payments. These codes are to be circulated to field formations, trade and the public to ensure correct allocation and accounting of remittances arising under the HSNS Cess levy.

HSNS Cess registration and payment procedure: portal enrolment, challan generation and electronic payment via ICEGATE required.
Registration and payment for HSNS Cess are effected via the CBIC taxpayer portal and ICEGATE. Taxpayers must enroll by PAN validation, obtain a 15 character ERN, complete Form HSNS REG 01 with business, premises, promoter, authorized signatory and bank details, upload prescribed documents, and receive a Temporary Registration Number used to access the dashboard. Monthly cess is paid electronically using generated challans (CTIN) selecting accounting codes (major head 0045) and payable via ICEGATE through NEFT/RTGS, net banking or payment gateway; payments produce system e receipts and challan status updates.

HSNS Cess registration and payment procedure on the CBIC taxpayer portal from 1 February 2026.
HSNS Cess application functionalities will be hosted on the designated CBIC taxpayer portal and made operational from 1 February 2026 for login, enrollment, registration and payment by taxable persons. The advisory provides step-by-step procedure for new registration and payment, with annexures for registration, payment and helpdesk support, and notes that separate advisories will follow for HSNS DEC-01 declarations and HSNS RET-01 returns.

IGST refund cases: verify PFMS bank validation and submit rejected Shipping Bills via ICEGATE or designated Customs email.
PFMS integration verifies AD Code and bank account details for IGST refund credits; failures due to improper AD Code or incorrect bank details produce PFMS error codes. An automated reversal returns failed transactions from PFMS to ICEGATE, and officers must follow ICES Advisory No. 18/2020 to process rejected Shipping Bills and generate fresh refund scrolls. Exporters should verify PFMS validation, update ICEGATE, and submit lists of affected Shipping Bills or those marked "Rejected" with port codes to the designated Customs email or Sevottam for rectification.

Authorized Economic Operator helpdesk established to expedite application processing and resolve deficiency-related applicant queries.
A dedicated Help Desk at the Export Commissionerate, Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai is established to assist stakeholders with AEO application filing and resolution of deficiency-related queries, with nominated officers available physically and by email; an escalation email is provided for unresolved grievances and the arrangement is declared a Standing Order for staff.

Sea Arrival Manifest compliance requires timely Bill of Lading data, replacing pre-entry supplementary manifest amendments with designated amendment messages.
Supplementary Import General Manifest amendments before Sea Entry Inwards are to be disabled from 20 February 2026. Timely House Bill of Lading declaration through Cargo Summary Notification messages is required so that Sea Arrival Manifests contain mandatory data for risk analysis and trade facilitation. Before Sea Entry Inwards, Bill of Lading additions or amendments must use Sea Arrival Amendment or Sea Cargo Amendment messages without officer routing. Post-entry amendments will require officer routing, with reasons for delayed inclusion potentially sought and supplementary amendment charges leviable under existing procedures.

Vessel berthing: Entry Inwards can be granted on pilot report enabling immediate unloading of cargo upon berthing.
Entry Inwards may be granted when the vessel reports at pilot station based on pilot boarding notification transmitted electronically by the Port Traffic Control Room, enabling immediate cargo discharge subject to submission of relevant documents and existing Advance IGM/Bill of Entry requirements; boarding officers will complete post berthing verifications and address any discrepancies even after Entry Inwards is granted.

Gold TRQ allocation under India UAE CEPA via e auction: 80MT second round with eligibility caps and bid security requirements.
DGFT invites competitive e auction bids for a second round allocation of gold TRQ under India-UAE CEPA for FY 2025 26 limited to 80 MT; TRQ authorisations will be valid six months. Eligible bidders must hold BIS hallmark registration and GST registration and comply with Annexure IV; MSME and other unit caps for the second round are 50 KG, 100 KG, 250 KG and 500 KG respectively, in addition to any first round allocations. The process requires online registration on MSTC, Class III digital signature, a participation fee and INR 100,000 bid security; financial bids use 51 price buckets and the EFC allocates quantities to Preferred Bidders who must pay for allotted TRQ or face forfeiture and sanctions for misconduct.

Brand Rate of Drawback applications must be processed by BRFC and approved by the Commissioner as the final determination.
All Brand Rate of Drawback applications must be processed by the Brand Rate Fixation Cell (BRFC), which shall scrutinize documents, obtain verification reports as required, apply prescribed risk parameters, prepare a checklist and a self-contained recommendation, return deficient claims for supplementation, and route verified proposals through proper channels. Final fixation/determination of Brand Rates must be submitted to and approved by the Commissioner of Customs under Rules 6 and 7 of the Drawback Rules, 2017, and that approval constitutes the final determination. A checklist sets conditions including port eligibility, timeliness, value relationships, export verification, certification requirements, shipping bill identifiers, and calculation worksheet verification.

Port clearance for vessels at Chennai and Kamarajar moves online; bonds, mandatory documents and seven day post sailing submissions required.
Advance and EDI Port Clearance for vessels calling Chennai and Kamarajar ports will be issued via an online portal; ASCs/ASAs must register, submit a one year continuity bond and undertaking, provide mandatory initial certificates to obtain advance clearance, and furnish remaining listed documents within seven days of sailing. The online workflow uses a three level officer verification system, issues deficiency memos for incomplete submissions, permits online amendment/extension/closure, and includes QR coded certificates; manual issuance continues until 02.03.2026 and the Notice is effective from 27.01.2026.

Annual inspection of Kolkata and Haldia terminals will assess infrastructure, security, hazardous goods handling and bonds.
Annual inspections of all privately operated terminals/berths at Kolkata Dock System and Haldia Dock Complex will commence in FY 2027 28 (April-May). CFS Unit officers will inspect using Annexure I proforma covering staffing, bonds/insurance, infrastructure, security, hazardous goods handling, IT, cargo disposal and prior compliance; reports go to the Principal Commissioner/Commissioner of Customs (Port) and deficiencies may invite remedial or penal action under the Handling of Cargo in Customs Area Regulation, 2009 (as amended) and the Customs Act, 1962.