Goods taken abroad for exhibition or consignment are not a supply until sale or expiry of the six-month period.
Goods sent or taken outside India for exhibitions or on consignment basis for export promotion are not a supply merely by reason of outward movement, unless covered by Schedule I. Such movement is therefore not a zero-rated supply, and the outward dispatch must be supported by a delivery challan and prescribed records. A tax invoice arises only when the goods are sold abroad or when six months expire without sale or return. Refund is not available at dispatch, but may be claimed only when the later supply becomes eligible under the refund rules.

Advanced Queue Management System requiring e-token registration now governs visitor access and entry to appraising groups, enforcing token-only entry.
Implementation of an Advanced Queue Management System at JNCH makes e-token registration mandatory for visitors seeking to meet Deputy/Assistant Commissioners or appraising officers. Electronic kiosks generate paper tokens showing queue position; visitors are permitted entry only when their token number is displayed. The system aims to facilitate trade and prevent unauthorised loitering; operational difficulties are to be reported to the designated nodal officer.

Risk management for liquid funds: mandatory liquid asset holdings, ban on bank short term deposit parking, fee and NAV changes.
Liquid and overnight funds must maintain a minimum proportion of assets in liquid assets (cash, government securities, T bills, repo on government securities) and restore such exposure before further investments if it falls below the threshold. These funds are barred from parking monies in short term deposits of scheduled commercial banks and from investing in debt with structured obligation or credit enhancement ratings, except government guaranteed securities. AMCs cannot charge investment management or advisory fees for parking funds in short term deposits; NAV cut off for purchases is set earlier and an exit load applies to very short term redemptions on fresh investments.

Duty drawback on FOB value allowed despite foreign bank charges; excess agency commission or bank fees must be adjusted.
Duty drawback may be granted on FOB value without deducting foreign bank charges where such charges are documented and fall within the administratively permitted overall agency commission allowance; if the combined agency commission and foreign bank charges exceed that allowance, the excess must be deducted from FOB for drawback. Exporters can seek case by case regularisation with documentary evidence and field formations should reconsider issued recovery notices accordingly.

National e-Assessment Centre establishment centralises e-assessment functions under designated income-tax authorities and staffing provisions.
Establishment of a National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) under the E-assessment Scheme, 2019, with headquarters at Delhi and a specified constitution of designated Income-tax authorities across senior and subordinate ranks; NeAC will be supported by ministerial, executive, or consultant staff provided by the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (CCA), Delhi in consultation with the Board.

GST Council: extensions and return waivers, ITC cap for unmatched invoices, new return rollout, e way and rate rationalisation.
The Council received the XV Finance Commission's address on revenue buoyancy, compliance gaps and compensation cess shortfalls and agreed to a consultative mechanism; approved deemed ratification of recent Central/State notifications; adopted Law Committee recommendations including retrospective recognition of GSTR 3B as a return, waiver/optional filing of specified annual returns for small/composition taxpayers, and restrictions on ITC where supplier details are not uploaded (cap at 20%); extended existing return timelines and set new return rollout from 01 April 2020; approved multiple fitment rate changes (notably hotel/catering and wet grinders), constituted GoMs on IGST settlement and e way issues for gold, and advanced IT reforms including Aadhaar e KYC, e invoicing trials, RFID FASTag integration and single authority refunds.

Disposal of confiscated drones: transfer to defence and security agencies free-of-cost subject to regulatory compliance.
Guidelines require confiscated drones to be inventoried, DGCA-classified and transferred when "ripe for disposal" to four focal Customs Commissionerates for centralised stocking, joint inspection and distribution. DRI and Customs field formation needs are met first; remaining stock is allocated equally to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs after nodal-officer joint inspections. Transfers are on a gratis, as-is where-is basis; recipients must ensure DGCA and WPC compliance, provide documentation, and are prohibited from reselling drones, which must be destroyed at end-of-life. Records and acknowledgements are mandatory.

Preferential Certificate of Origin: online platform enables paperless issuance and QR-based verification with IEC-linked digital signatures.
Preferential Certificate of Origin issuance is centralized on a Common Digital Platform delivering paperless, contactless CoO applications and digital certificates verifiable by QR code or certificate-number lookup. Exporter registration requires IEC and a Class II/III digital signature with IEC embedded; registration auto-populates entity details from the DGFT IEC database and sends credentials to the IEC-linked email. Rollout of electronic issuance is phased pending partner FTA/PTA acceptance; exporters are instructed to register and keep IEC details current. Guidance, FAQs, and support channels are provided.

Tariff-rate quota allocation for feed-grade maize divided equally between entities, subject to actual-user conditions and TRQ duty.
Allocation of the feed-grade maize Tariff Rate Quota for 2019-20 is split between two state trading entities and is subject to the conditions of the earlier Trade Notice, including the Actual User condition, the applicable TRQ customs duty rate, and compliance with monitoring and documentation requirements.

Export Promotion Circle address change-EPC 1 relocated within the commissionerate; existing restructuring provisions remain unchanged.
The public notice amends the commissionerate's cadre restructuring by relocating the Export Promotion Circle (EPC 1) to a new office within the New Custom House; all other provisions and subsequent amendments of the original notification establishing the EPC remain unchanged.

Duty drawback on FOB value permitted despite foreign bank charges, subject to the overall agency commission limit.
Duty drawback may be allowed on the FOB value without deducting foreign bank charges; agency commission and foreign bank charges taken together must not exceed the overall commission limit allowed by the Board, and any excess should be deducted from FOB. Field formations should regularise short realisations where exporters provide documentary evidence such as export invoices and bank confirmations and should reconsider issued show cause notices accordingly.

IGST refund for exporters depends on correct EGM filing, GST return reconciliation, and submission of prescribed supporting documents.
IGST refunds require correct EGM filing so Shipping Bills migrate from the IGST Temporary Scroll to the final IGST Scroll; exporters with EGM errors (SB002/SB006), invalid invoice errors (SB005), GSTIN mismatches (SB003) or Shipping Bill detail errors (SB001) must coordinate with airlines, rectify GSTR I/GSTR 3B, submit GSTR 1/Table 6A and a concordance table, or file a Revised Refund Request (RRR) where applicable, and submit reconciliation details to the IGST Refund Cell for refund processing.

Bank guarantee exemption under advance authorisation schemes expanded for GST-registered manufacturers/service providers meeting export or GST thresholds.
Manufacturer exporters and service providers registered under GST who meet the specified export turnover threshold in the preceding financial year qualify for Bank Guarantee exemption under category (d), and those who have paid GST meeting the specified threshold qualify under category (e). The prior requirement for certification by jurisdictional Central Excise is discontinued; members of Export Promotion Councils may produce council certificates, while non-members may submit certificates authenticated by a practicing Chartered Accountant registered with the GST department, including the CA's GSTIN and registration details.

Foreign Direct Investment policy revised: automatic manufacturing and single brand retail rules, sourcing obligations, and digital news streaming controls.
FDI policy amendments permit automatic route foreign investment for coal and lignite mining (including sale and defined associated processing infrastructure) subject to mining statutes; confirm manufacturing under automatic route including contract manufacturing and unrestricted sale via wholesale, retail and e commerce; set Single Brand Retail Trading under automatic route with single brand, branded at manufacture requirements, a local sourcing obligation for majority foreign investment with detailed counting and averaging rules, and brick and mortar timing for online retail; and require government approval for digital media news streaming. Effective from FEMA notification.

Bank Guarantee exemption allowed for GST-registered exporters meeting export performance or tax payment thresholds with EPC or CA certification.
Revised norms permit GST-registered manufacturer-exporters and service providers who meet prescribed export-performance or GST-payment thresholds in the preceding year to claim exemption from furnishing Bank Guarantees under Advance Authorisation, DFIA and EPCG schemes. Certification by jurisdictional Central Excise is discontinued: members of an Export Promotion Council may submit a council-issued certificate of export performance or tax/GST payment, while non-members may furnish a certificate authenticated by a practicing Chartered Accountant registered with GST authorities, the CA including his GSTIN and registration details.

IGST refund outreach: Special drive to rectify refund errors and expedite pending export tax incentive claims.
The Commissionerate of Customs (Export), ICD Tughlakabad, has launched a Special Drive and outreach programme to rectify errors and expedite disposal of pending IGST refund claims and other export incentives; exporters and stakeholders are invited to visit special desks in person with supporting documents during designated hours to resolve refund issues.

Bank Guarantee exemption for exporters expanded to GST-registered suppliers meeting prescribed export or GST payment thresholds.
Bank Guarantee waiver under the Advance Authorisation, DFIA and EPCG schemes is extended to GST-registered manufacturer exporters and service providers who have exported during the previous two financial years and meet prescribed export thresholds, and to those who have paid GST meeting prescribed thresholds in the preceding year. The prior requirement for Central Excise certification is removed; Export Promotion Council certificates or GST-registered Chartered Accountant certificates (including CA GSTIN) are acceptable for claiming exemption. Other provisions of the earlier circular remain unchanged.

Back-to-town procedure for export containers: return allowed with verification, LEO cancellation, benefit reversal, or re-import formalities.
Back-to-town return of export containers to Nhava Sheva is governed by three situations: where the vessel has not crossed territorial waters and EGM not filed, the Master must undertake non-crossing, containers are forwarded under transhipment without separate IGM, container and seal are verified, BTT procedure followed, LEO cancelled and export benefits withheld or reversed, with tampered seals sent for scanning and 100% examination. Where EGM was filed it must be amended and the same steps followed. Where the vessel crossed waters, returning consignments are treated as imports and full re-import formalities, IGM filing, benefit reversal and examinations apply.

Iron & Steel imports now require compulsory online registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System before arrival.
Import policy for specified Iron & Steel items in Chapters 72, 73 and 86 of the ITC (HS), 2017 is revised from 'free' to free subject to compulsory registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS). Importers must submit advance information online to obtain an automatic Registration Number (valid 75 days) by applying no earlier than 60 days and no later than 15 days before expected arrival, and pay a fee of Rs.1 per thousand of CIF value (minimum Rs.500, maximum Rs.100,000). The Registration Number and expiry must be entered in the Bill of Entry. SIMS registration available from 16.09.2019 and applies to Bills of Entry on or after 01.11.2019.

Registered valuer requirement: valuations must be conducted under corporate and insolvency law provisions for compliance.
Valuations required under corporate and insolvency statutes must be performed by a registered valuer; the circular reiterates that Rule 10 of the Companies (Registered Valuers and Valuation) Rules, 2017 read with section 247 of the Companies Act, 2013 and IBBI guidance require registered valuers to conduct valuations arising under the Companies Act, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and related regulations, and supplies annexed lists of the specific statutory provisions where such valuations are mandated, including instances requiring determination of fair value and liquidation value.