Electronic sealing implementation deferred; stakeholders must align operations and report any operational difficulties to the Board.
Deferral of the electronic sealing requirement for deposit in and removal of goods from customs bonded warehouses is directed in response to vendor representations concerning Circular-10/2020-Customs; the Board has postponed the earlier implementation timetable and established a revised commencement date, instructing stakeholders to align operational processes and to report any difficulties to the Board.

Electronic communication of eGatepass and eOoC enables paperless exit verification using digitally signed QR codes for authenticity.
Electronic transmission will email secured PDF Final eOoC copies of the Bill of Entry and PDF eGatepass to registered importers and customs brokers upon Out of Charge, each bearing digitally signed, encrypted QR codes (including a version number) for authenticity verification; eGatepass PDFs will include overall and container/package-level QR codes and required manifest/container details, and EDI OOC messages will continue to registered custodians on ICEGATE.

Out of Charge procedure reduces physical visits by enabling electronic Scan EIR, PGA NOC and E Sanchit uploads.
Procedures permit electronic processing for grant of Out of Charge (OOC): Scan EIR stamped by Container Scanning Division may be emailed for OOC; PGA NOCs are accepted via portal verification or emailed provisional NOCs for manual clearance; where alerts or Assessment Group/CCR documentary requirements exist, RMS-FC will raise ICES queries and importers/CBs must upload documents to E-Sanchit and respond in ICES for RMS-FC verification and OOC processing.

Paperless customs: accept PDF gate passes and OOC bill copies electronically; verify authenticity before permitting cargo release.
Acceptance of PDF-based gate passes and OOC copies of Bills of Entry is authorised; printed copies are not required. Importers and customs brokers should e-mail PDF eGatepasses and eOOC Bill of Entry copies to the port address. Port officers must verify authenticity via the ICETRAK app provided by the DG System before taking further action. Implementation difficulties are to be reported to the designated dock authority by e-mail, and the notice's directions shall be treated as a standing order for officers.

Late fee waiver for bills of entry granted to facilitate clearance of import consignments during COVID-19 disruption.
Late fee charges will not be imposed on Bills of Entry filed late for clearance of import consignments that arrived at the Customs Port/ICD on or after 21.03.2020, pursuant to an amendment to Public Notice No. 05/CCP/JMR/2020; this relief is granted under the Bill of Entry regulations and the proviso to Section 46(3) of the Customs Act in view of the COVID-19 exigency and remains until further orders.

Waiver of Late Fee for delayed bills of entry due to COVID-19 disruption; temporary relief with email regularization permitted.
Late fee liability for delayed bills of entry under the Bill of Entry regulations and the second proviso to Section 46(3) of the Customs Act is suspended for bills filed late to clear import consignments that arrived at the port/ICD on or after the start of the COVID-19 disruption, until further notice; the amendment modifies an earlier public notice, retains other provisions, and directs dissemination to trade bodies while permitting email-based regularization and designating the measures as a standing order for staff.

Central GST offices in Allahabad reopen from 20 April with appointment requirement and remote contact options.
Central GST Commissionerate, Allahabad, will open offices across the commissionerate from 20 April 2020 under CBIC and MHA COVID-19 guidelines; reopening is subject to lockdown-related restrictions. Offices will be sanitized, staff presence limited for social distancing, and taxpayers must obtain appointments before visiting. Taxpayers are encouraged to contact officers via mobile, e-mail or video platforms; a contact directory is attached and further guidance will be published on the Commissionerate website.

Infrared thermometers: import clearance allowed subject to three month compliance with Legal Metrology Act and bond replacement.
Provisional release of imported infrared thermometers is allowed on an importer's undertaking to comply with the Legal Metrology Act and Packaged Commodities Rules within three months, to withdraw non complying models at their cost, and to replace the undertaking with a formal bond within the stipulated period, with PRO recording the undertaking and treating the procedure as a standing order.

Late-filing waiver for import manifest submissions extended; eligible delayed IGM filings may avoid late fees under amended timelines.
The Public Notice amends paragraph 3 of Public Notice No.54/2020 to extend the late fee waiver for Import General Manifest filings made on or after 20 March 2020 but on or before 03 May 2020, provided the late filing for clearance is submitted on or before 06 May 2020; all other provisions of the earlier notice remain unchanged.

Electronic gatepass and eOoC emailed to importers and brokers, using digitally signed QR codes for document verification.
Enables electronic transmission of the Final eOoC copy of the Bill of Entry and PDF eGatepass to registered importers and Customs brokers, replacing paper printouts. PDFs will include digitally signed, encrypted QR codes with key BoE and cargo details and a version number for authenticity; eGatepasses will carry document- and container/package-level QR codes to control physical exit. Custodian registration on the electronic portal is required and implementation issues must be reported to the EDI helpdesk.

Provisional assessment procedure permits clearance on electronic COO copies with bond/undertaking and conditional security exemptions during pandemic.
Provisional clearance is permitted where original Country of Origin Certificates cannot be produced due to COVID-19; importers may clear goods on photocopies/electronic COO under Section 18 subject to submission of a Bond or Undertaking in lieu and conditional security rules. Certain importer classes (AEO/status holders, eligible repeat beneficiaries, and specified manufacturers/institutional importers) are exempt from security while others must provide full security. The Undertaking must be replaced by a proper Bond by the stipulated date, with options of Bank Guarantee or revenue deposit and mandatory departmental recordkeeping of relaxations.

Special Refund and Drawback Disposal Drive prioritises processing of pending IGST refund and drawback claims for exporters.
A Special Refund and Drawback Disposal Drive mandates priority processing of pending IGST export refunds and duty drawback claims, requiring exporters to rectify reconciliation errors, submit corrected claims and supporting documents from official email IDs to designated Customs location addresses, monitor Shipping Bill status on ICEGATE, and forward scroll numbers and Shipping Bill details where drawback amounts remain uncredited or queries are outstanding.

Container detention and ground rent charges: waive extra charges during lockdown period as a humanitarian advisory.
Advises shipping lines and custodians of ICDs/CFSs to adopt a sympathetic, humanitarian approach by refraining from levying container detention charges and ground rent charges on import cargo during the COVID 19 lockdown period beyond the contractual free time, noting lockdown restrictions that impede release of goods and relying on Ministry of Shipping guidance and requests from importer and broker associations.

Relaxation of customs procedures extended; importers and customs brokers continue to receive procedural relief during lockdown.
Extension of temporary procedural relaxations for customs clearance due to lockdown: the relaxations previously granted under Public Notices 21/2020, 22/2020 and 23/2020 are extended for the Commissionerate of ICD Patparganj and other ICDs, remaining otherwise unchanged; trade associations and customs brokers are asked to publicize the notice, and officers should treat it as a Standing Order while difficulties may be reported to the issuing office.

Undertaking in lieu of bonds permits expedited customs clearance by eligible traders under temporary bond relaxation.
Temporary relaxation permits submission of an undertaking in lieu of prescribed bonds under sections 18, 59, 143 and related notifications to expedite customs clearance. Eligible categories include Government/PSUs, Manufacturer/Actual User importers, Authorised Economic Operators, Status holders, and warehousing users. Undertakings must replicate bond content, be signed on business letterhead and submitted from the registered IEC email, and must commit to furnishing the formal bond by the stipulated deadline. Undertakings do not substitute mandated securities; required security must be furnished as directed. Warehousing-related movements or ownership changes are restricted to manufacturer/actual user importers, AEOs, or Status holders. Customs must record relaxations and may grant case-by-case extensions with additional safeguards.

Paperless customs: electronic PDF eOoC and eGatepass enable contactless exit of imported goods with QR verification.
Electronic transmission of the Final eOoC copy of the Bill of Entry and eGatepass will be emailed as PDF to registered importers and Customs Brokers after Out of Charge. PDFs will include digitally signed, encrypted QR codes with key BoE and gatepass details and a version number for authenticity and verification via ICETRAK and ICEGATE. eGatepass PDFs will include document-level and container/package-level QR codes to ensure only covered consignments exit. EDI OoC messages continue for custodians registered on ICEGATE; authorities must ensure custodian registration.

Essential service duty pass facilitation allows trade members to obtain authorization for cargo clearance during lockdown.
Applicants seeking an Essential Service Duty Pass must email a request containing name, company, mobile number, Aadhaar number and a scanned photograph to the designated address so the customs office can grant authorization for local authorities to issue the pass for clearance of essential cargo.

Paperless customs: electronic PDF eGatepass and eOoC BOE emailed to registered importers and brokers for contactless release.
Electronic communication of the Final eOoC copy of the Bill of Entry and the eGatepass will replace physical printouts: PDF versions emailed to registered importers and Customs Brokers will carry a CBIC digitally signed and encrypted QR code with key BOE details and a version number to verify authenticity; eGatepass PDFs will include movement-relevant details and dual QR codes (document-level and container/package-level); EDI OOC messages continue for custodians registered on ICEGATE and registrations are encouraged to extend benefits across the customs ecosystem.

Paperless customs: electronic transmission of eOoC and eGatepass enables emailed PDF verification and reduced physical processing.
The Board mandates emailing the Final eOoC copy of Bill of Entry and the eGatepass in PDF to registered importers and/or customs brokers upon grant of Out of Charge. The PDF BOE will carry a digitally signed, encrypted QR code with key BOE details and a version number for authenticity and currency checks via Mobile App ICETRAK and ICEGATE enquiry. The eGatepass will include movement relevant particulars and distinct QR codes for the document and for each container/package; EDI OOC messages continue for custodians registered on ICEGATE.

Electronic Gatepass and eOOC verification: QR coded PDFs enable digital authenticity checks and replace physical document handling.
PDF versions of the final Bill of Entry (eOOC) and the eGatepass will be emailed and used for customs verification; both copies bear a secure, digitally signed and encrypted QR code whose authenticity and document version must be verified via a mobile app and an online Document Status enquiry to ensure the presented PDF is the latest valid copy. eGatepass QR codes are container specific; EDI OOC messages will continue to be transmitted to registered custodians through MFTP, and custodians must register and onboard the file transfer service.