Permission for factory stuffing now one-time authorization, subject to revocation on adverse findings against exporters.
Permission for factory stuffing of export containers is to be granted on a one-time permission basis, eliminating the requirement for exporters to obtain renewal every six months; Customs retain the authority to withdraw the permission if adverse information is noticed. The Board instructs issuance of a Public Notice/Standing Order to notify stakeholders, requests reporting of implementation difficulties to the Board, and asks recipients to acknowledge receipt of the Circular.

Temporary removal of company laptops from bonded premises allowed for authorised employees under prescribed circular conditions.
Authorised employees of EOUs and EPZ/EHTP/STP/SEZ units may temporarily take out up to two duty free imported or indigenously procured laptop or desktop computers, treated as office equipment, for business use; such temporary removal is subject to the conditions and procedures specified in the earlier Board circular, and existing circulars are modified accordingly.

ACU mechanism routing required for exports to Nepal when importer permitted to pay in foreign exchange.
Exports to Nepal where the Nepali importer is permitted to pay in free foreign exchange shall have such payments routed through the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism; this implements settlement provisions allowing India-Nepal trade in rupees and anticipates consequential amendments to the Memorandum of the ACU. The direction is issued under specified provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.

Reporting obligation for FIIs: monthly disclosure of issuance, renewal or redemption of derivative instruments to regulator.
FIIs issuing derivative/financial instruments linked to Indian securities must report issuance, renewal, cancellation or redemption monthly to the regulator using the prescribed annexure format, filed within one week of month-end and signed by the compliance officer; only FIIs that issue such instruments and only for months with transactions must file. The report requires issuer identification, instrument and underlying security details, investor nationality/place of incorporation, issue and maturity data, face/maturity values, instrument quantities and underlying securities quantities, and opening/closing balances with movement breakdowns.

DEPB filing period clarified after lost shipping bill; specifies documentation for SEH applications and updates DEPB rate list
Clarifies that if a provisionally assessed DEPB shipping bill is lost, the time period for filing an application for DEPB is 180 days from the date of release or final assessment of the shipping bill; prescribes documentary requirements for SEH/ISEH/ISSEH/ISSSEH applications and amends Appendix 28A DEPB rate list across multiple product groups with specified rate adjustments, corrections and additions.

Use of imported containers for domestic cargo permitted temporarily during the stipulated re-export period under customs notification.
Imported containers admitted under the relevant customs notification may be used to carry domestic cargo during the stipulated period for re-export or any extension permitted by the Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner, as a temporary interim measure pending further examination by the Board.

Tax deduction at source from salaries: employers must estimate taxable salary, deduct and remit tax and comply with certificate and return duties.
Rates and procedure for deduction of tax at source from salaries are set out, with employers and other specified payers required to deduct tax on estimated salary income after excluding specified exempt items and allowing prescribed deductions and rebates; deductors must remit withheld tax timely, issue TDS certificates, quote required identification numbers, file annual returns and use prescribed challans, and are subject to interest, penalties and criminal sanctions for non-compliance. Mechanisms are provided for aggregation of salary from multiple employers, relief computations via prescribed forms, and consideration of other income or house property loss where declared.

Forfeiture of application fees: applicants must collect deficient pre scrutiny applications within fifteen days or face closure.
Firms submitting applications for pre-scrutiny must collect licenses or deficient applications from designated counters within 15 days of submission; failure to collect will result in deficient applications being treated as closed and application fees liable to be forfeited, with specific reference to repeated non-collection by Gem REP applicants and a request that the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council alert its members.

Proper Certification of EDI Shipping Bills required for export benefit claims; attach customs attested invoice if descriptions truncated
Exporters must ensure EDI Shipping Bills submitted as EP copies for export incentive claims carry the exporter/CHA signature and the full signature, name, designation and oval seal of the Customs officer; mate receipts and manual entries must be Customs certified. If the EDI Shipping Bill omits the full product description due to space limits, a Customs attested invoice with the full description must accompany the EP copies to avoid deficiencies.

Bank Certificate issuance rules require a single original per shipping bill with endorsed duplicates and full attestations.
Banks issuing Bank Certificates for DEPB/DFRC must provide a single original per Shipping Bill; duplicates must be endorsed as issued in lieu of a lost or misplaced original. All certificate fields must be completed, the signing bank official's full name and designation indicated, and any handwritten entries or corrections attested with the attestor's signature, name, designation and the bank seal.

Ban on non-official canvassing for postings: outside influence presumed initiated by employee and will invite disciplinary action.
Canvassing for transfers, postings or promotions through political or other non official influence is prohibited under Rule 20 of the C.C.S. (Conduct) Rules; any dignitary or parliamentary reference will be presumed to have been prompted by the employee and will invite disciplinary action, while genuine representations made through prescribed departmental channels will be considered on their merits.

Food safety compliance for imported food requires testing or accredited certificates before customs clearance; perishable direct-use items may be exempted.
Customs must check transport/storage conditions, physical condition, and labelling of imported food and refer consignments to Port Health Officers for testing under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954; goods may be stored under section 49 pending reports, and failed consignments are to be re-exported or destroyed. Perishable items for direct use may be cleared without sampling if Customs checks are met and accredited laboratory certificates are accepted; perishable items not for direct use require sampling and testing. Customs must use authorised central laboratories where PHOs are unavailable and maintain a database of repeat failures for feedback.

DEPB benefit admissibility affirmed for made ups from yarn dyed fabrics following DGFT policy; prior contrary circular withdrawn.
Made ups manufactured from yarn dyed fabrics are to be treated as processed items for DEPB purposes, entitling them to DEPB benefits under the relevant textile product group entries. The Department recognises the DGFT policy on this classification and withdraws the earlier contrary departmental circular; trade and field officers are to be informed and acknowledgement of receipt obtained.

Classification as massage apparatus affirmed for magnetic accupressure mattresses, guiding their tariff treatment and assessment practice.
Imported magnetic accupressure sets (mattress, pillow, quilt) combining a nodular elastic body and permanent magnets produce circulatory, anti-bedsore and massage-like therapeutic effects. They do not conform to ordinary mattress descriptions in the HS explanatory notes, and their specialised structure and higher landed cost indicate a different essential character. HS notes recognise mattresses designed to vary pressure and provide superficial massage as massage apparatus; applying the General Interpretative Rules and explanatory notes the Government directs classification of these goods as massage apparatus under the relevant tariff subheading.

Certification of SOFTEX forms authorises designated STPI/FTZ/EPZ/SEZ officials to certify software exports under FEMA regime
Designated officials at STPIs, FTZs, EPZs and SEZs are authorised to certify exports declared on SOFTEX forms by units located there; under the Exim Policy, these officials may also certify SOFTEX forms for registered EOUs. Authorised dealers must notify their constituents of this certification authority, and the directions are issued under the Reserve Bank's foreign exchange regulatory mandate to govern SOFTEX form certification for export compliance.

Advertisement prohibition for brokers and sub brokers-exchanges must enforce limits and restrict trading terminals to registered locations.
SEBI requires exchanges to enforce prohibitions on broker and sub broker advertisements that breach the Code of Conduct, including internet and affiliated company promotions, and instructs brokers to ensure sub brokers comply. It mandates that trading terminals be granted only at members' registered offices, branch offices and registered sub brokers' offices, with all others withdrawn, and directs exchanges to amend bye laws to penalise misuse of terminals and to prohibit dealing with sub brokers not registered with SEBI.

Segment reporting requirement made voluntary for the transitional quarter, allowing firms extra time to implement systems.
Companies were required to include segment-wise revenue, results and capital employed in quarterly financial results in the prescribed format, but due to representations about implementation difficulties the regulator made segment reporting voluntary for the transitional quarter to allow firms additional time to establish necessary systems.

Assessment scrutiny allocation directs nominated officers to handle selected files and retain end-to-end responsibility for proceedings.
Selected scrutiny cases are to be allocated to nominated assessing officers while all other files are to be evenly allocated among assessing officers (salary files employer-wise), with higher-return files assigned to the senior officer; assigned officers must complete assessments, rectifications, appeal processing, issue prescribed notices on conclusion, handle refunds arising from those proceedings, and carry out collection and recovery and other statutory work for their allotted files.

PAN-based registration transition replaces legacy excise identifiers to unify tax identification and streamline registration processes nationwide.
Conversion to a PAN-based Registration Number replaces existing Range-office Registration Numbers, Personal Ledger Numbers and ECC Numbers with a PAN-based fifteen digit Registration Number; assessees with PAN-based ECC shall use it as their registration number, others must obtain PAN or apply per prescribed procedure, while small-scale match and biri manufacturers may provisionally use ten digit old ECC-based numbers until eventual conversion.

Central Excise registration updated: PAN-based alphanumeric registration numbers and a consolidated Form A-1 streamline enrolment and changes.
Registration uses new Form A-1 and Form RC; applicants or authorised signatories must have PAN. The Range Superintendent immediately issues a PAN-based alphanumeric Registration Number on the original application and retains the duplicate. The Registration Number consists of PAN + two-character category code + three-digit serial; numbers will not be reused. A Document Locator Number is endorsed on the duplicate for internal tracking and will be computer-generated in due course. Post-facto verification of premises must occur within five working days, and Registration Certificates are to be issued within seven working days.