Recovery of self-assessed tax under section 79: taxpayers given opportunity to explain GSTR-1/GSTR-3B mismatches before action.
Where tax shown in outward supply statements but unpaid through the periodic return is short paid or unpaid, the proper officer must issue a DIN-bearing communication allowing a reasonable period to pay or explain GSTR-1/GSTR-3B discrepancies; if the taxpayer neither pays nor satisfactorily explains within the prescribed or extended time, the officer may initiate recovery proceedings under the recovery provisions for self-assessed liabilities.

Return scrutiny procedures require data-based discrepancy verification, taxpayer explanation notices, payment-based closure, and approved tax determination where unresolved.
Return scrutiny verifies the correctness of filed returns through data-analytics selection based on turnover, tax, reverse-charge liability, input tax credit, e-way bill and interest discrepancies. Proper officers must verify relevant portal and back-office data, issue GST-ASMT-10 where discrepancies remain, and consider explanations in GST-ASMT-11. Acceptable explanations or payment of admitted tax, interest and applicable amounts through GSTR-DRC-03 permit closure in GST-ASMT-12. Unsatisfactory responses or failure to correct accepted discrepancies may lead to determination of tax and other dues with prior approval. Scrutiny registers and monthly reporting are required.

Dynamic QR Code exemption for invoices where payment is received via RBI approved modes and place of supply is in India.
Where an invoice is issued to a recipient located outside India for services whose place of supply is in India, and payment is received by the supplier in convertible foreign exchange or in Indian rupees where permitted by the RBI, such invoice may be issued without a Dynamic QR Code because the recipient located outside India cannot use the QR code to make payment.

COVID-19 Helpdesk continues to assist international trade stakeholders with licensing, customs, documentation and coordinated issue resolution.
Continuation of operations of the COVID-19 Helpdesk establishes a single-point facility to receive, monitor and seek resolution of export-import issues arising from COVID-19. The Helpdesk handles export/import licensing, customs clearance delays, documentation, banking matters and coordinates with other government departments to pursue resolutions. Stakeholders must submit requests via the Helpdesk Service on the Departmental website selecting Category 'Covid-19', or by the specified email or toll-free phone, and may track status via the online status tracker with email and SMS updates.

Import duty classification on courier consignments: gifts face higher duty, personal purchases taxed lower with invoice proof.
Imports via courier are governed by the Customs Act and related regulations; B2B imports with a valid Importer Exporter Code follow the Customs tariff. Bonafide gifts under Chapter 9804 attract Basic Customs Duty at 35%, Social Welfare Surcharge at 10% of BCD, and IGST at 28% on value plus BCD and SWS (aggregate 77.28%). Personal-use items qualifying under the notification attract BCD at 10%, SWS at 10% of BCD, and IGST at 28% on value plus BCD and SWS (aggregate 42.08%) only if a B2C invoice and proof of monetary transfer are submitted; otherwise the gift duty applies.

Investor grievance redressal expanded online: SCORES links and platform updates mandated for exchanges and market entities.
Recognised stock exchanges, commodity derivatives exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations must display a direct complaint lodging option and a link to the SCORES portal or SCORES mobile app on their websites and mobile apps, amend relevant bye laws, rules and regulations as necessary, and communicate implementation status via the Monthly Development Report; the directive is issued under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act read with Section 10 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act.

Classification of parts must follow holistic evaluation of section and HS explanatory notes, not a single universal test.
Assessments of parts under Section XVII must be fact specific and holistic: officers should consider Section and Chapter Notes, HSN explanatory notes and relevant precedents rather than mechanically applying a single test; the Department has filed a review petition and sought senior counsel opinion, and difficulties in implementation should be reported to the Board.

Standing Grievance Committee composition expanded to include customs, GST, banks and other agencies to consolidate industry grievances.
Amendment revises the Standing Grievance Committee composition to include Customs and GST authorities, DGARM, public and private banks, export inspection agencies/councils, ECGC, State/UT Industries and Export Commissioners, and General Managers of District Industries Centres, alongside existing representatives, to create a consolidated inter-agency forum for redressal of export and foreign trade grievances.

E commerce operator liability to pay GST on restaurant services shifts tax payment responsibility and invoicing to the platform.
E-commerce operators are liable to pay GST in cash on restaurant services supplied through their platforms under section 9(5); they need not collect TCS or file GSTR-8 for those services, need no separate registration, must issue invoices for such services, and cannot use ITC to discharge that liability. ECOs remain liable even if the restaurant supplier is unregistered, and the value of supplies through ECOs counts toward the supplier's aggregate turnover. Supplies through ECOs are not inward supplies for reverse charge. Reporting of these supplies should be made in GSTR-3B and relevant GSTR-1 tables as indicated.

Tax liability by e-commerce operators to pay GST on restaurant services, cash payment only, no TCS collection.
E-commerce operators are liable to pay GST on restaurant services supplied through their platforms from 1 January 2022, must pay that GST in cash and will not collect TCS or file GSTR 8 for those restaurant services. ECOs are liable even for services supplied by unregistered restaurants; the restaurants must include such supplies in their aggregate turnover. ECOs should not treat these as inward supplies liable to reverse charge. ECOs retain ITC eligibility for their inputs but cannot use ITC to pay GST on restaurant services; the ECO issues the invoice and reports supplies in GSTR 3B/GSTR 1 as directed.

Timing of NOC submission: listed entities must file lender or trustee NOCs before receiving the stock exchange no objection letter.
The circular clarifies that the NOC from lending scheduled commercial banks, financial institutions or the debenture trustee in relation to schemes of arrangement by listed entities must be submitted before the listed entity receives the stock exchange no objection letter under the Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements; stock exchanges are instructed to notify listed companies and publish the clarification.

Automatic exercise of in the money commodity options now required; fair assignment to short positions and member notification mandated.
Automatic exercise of all in the money option contracts at expiry is required unless a long holder gives a contrary instruction; out of the money contracts expire worthless; exercised contracts within an option series must be assigned to short positions in that series in a fair and non preferential manner. Exchanges must amend bye laws, notify members and report implementation status to the regulator.