Automation of refund claims introduces digitized intake with unique ID tracking and automated deficiency routing for processing.
Phase I creates a Service Centre for physical receipt and electronic capture: claimants submit hard copies to a receiving clerk, pay a vendor fee for digitization, receive a receipt bearing a unique ID, and the vendor digitizes the claim and attached documents before forwarding the hard copy to the relevant section. Supplementary documents may be submitted for digital incorporation without additional fee; changes require prior approval of the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner and misplaced hard copies can be retrieved from digitized records.

GST Council approves SGST/UTGST models, IGST changes to zero-rate SEZ supplies, and a compensation cess schedule.
The Council approved the Model SGST and UTGST Laws with state-specific transitional and procedural changes, authorised minor editorial corrections, amended the IGST Law to treat supplies to SEZs as zero rated like physical exports (with consequential CGST refund timing changes), removed "taxable" to allow refunds for certain non-GST exports, adopted a Schedule of ceiling cess rates in the Compensation Bill, and constituted a Task Force for seamless freight movement while deferring some policy items for later consideration.

Harmonization of MEIS schedule aligns export incentive descriptions with ITC (HS) 2017; harmonized schedule available on DGFT website.
The Trade Notice issues a harmonized MEIS schedule revising Appendix 3B (Table 2) descriptions to align MEIS entries with ITC (HS), 2017 nomenclature, and states the harmonized schedule is published and available on the Director General of Foreign Trade website.

Draft letter of offer filing requirements broaden disclosure to extended multi year compliance and capital structure histories for acquirers.
Merchant bankers must provide, in the draft letter of offer, the status of compliance with SAST Regulations and details of acquisitions by the acquirer/PAC and by promoters/promoter group, and changes in the target company's capital structure, covering the financial year of the public announcement and an extended multi year retrospective period; where a prior open offer exists in that period, disclosures commence from the expiry of that prior offer period.

Establishment of Development Council creates a statutory council for the foundry industry and prescribes member appointments and secretariat arrangements.
The Central Government, invoking powers under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act and the Development Council (Procedural) Rules, establishes a Development Council for the Foundry Industry and appoints named central officials, ministry nominees, industry bodies, institute experts and corporate representatives as members for a two year term. The Joint Secretary (Light Engineering Industry Division), Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, is designated to perform the functions of Member Secretary and carry out the Council's secretariat responsibilities.

Mutual fund performance disclosure requires standardized CAGR presentation, point-to-point returns, plan-type disclosure and manager-wide performance reporting.
Performance disclosure in mutual fund advertisements must use CAGR for prescribed periods, supplemented by point-to-point returns on a standard investment, with periods computed from the last day of the month-end preceding the advertisement. Advertisements must specify whether data relates to regular or direct plans, disclose fund manager continuity where applicable, and include summarized performance of other schemes managed by the same fund manager with permitted internet links and special rules where a manager runs more than six schemes.

Advance intimation requirement: authorised customs brokers may submit pre-arrival DPD notices with prescribed authorisation and documentation.
Importers using the DPD Facility must send an advance intimation to shipping lines at least seventy-two hours before arrival with bill of lading, consignment details, DPD client code and stacking code, copying Customs, the CFS/transport operator and terminal operator. Alternatively the original endorsed bill of lading may be submitted in advance to obtain an electronic delivery order. Authorised customs brokers may submit the intimation if they attach a scanned colour authorisation naming the broker and providing required contact details and DPD permission; the broker must use the email in the authorisation and copy the importer.

Customs Out of Charge verification mandates terminal, CFS and customs checks to confirm DO and seal integrity before container release.
Verification procedures allocate responsibility among Terminal Operators, Customs officers and CFSs for confirmation of Customs Out of Charge (OOC), Delivery Order (DO) and inspection of container number, seal number and seal condition. Terminal Operators/CFSs must verify OOC and DO before release to importers; Customs officers posted at terminals or at CFS entry/exit must verify OOC and container/seal details prior to container exit from port terminals or at CFS entry and exit. Non-compliance must be reported daily to the DPD Cell.

Classification of saree: treat processed sarees under specific textile headings based on predominant material, not as made-ups.
A saree that retains the essential characteristics of the fabric after embroidery, stitching, or combination of different textile materials remains classifiable under the specific textile headings (Chapters 50, 52 or 54) according to the predominant material by weight, or, if no material predominates, by the heading occurring last in numerical order among equally considered materials, rather than as a made-up article under Chapter 63.

Customs area designation under statutory authority permits international transshipment of LCL containers at a specified CFS.
Designation of a 900 sq.ft. area inside M/S NDR Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.'s CFS as a Customs Area for international transshipment of LCL containers, limited to transshipment operations and related activities under the procedures set out in the Board Circular and Custom House Public Notice; dimensions and location are specified and the declaration is effective from the date of the notice.

Declaration requirement: bank deposits may be treated as eligible though not existing at filing; cash must exist at payment.
Where undisclosed income is represented by deposits in an account with a specified entity, those deposits need not exist on the date of filing the declaration or making payments under the Scheme; however, where undisclosed income is represented by cash, that cash must exist on the date of payment of tax, surcharge and penalty under the Scheme or on the date of deposit under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016, whichever is earlier.

GST migration assistance: special Seva Kendras opened to help central excise and service tax assessees migrate to GSTN.
Provision of provisional IDs and passwords via ACES enables existing Central Excise and Service Tax assessees with VAT registration to access the GSTN portal and migrate. Special GST Migration Seva Kendras have been opened at specified Central Excise and Service Tax offices in the Puducherry Commissionerate, each equipped with IT infrastructure and officers to assist completion of the migration process and address migration-related matters, and taxpayers are requested to avail of these services.

Complaint redressal through SCORES requires brokers and depository participants to resolve complaints promptly and establish processing systems.
SEBI requires stock brokers and depository participants to redress complaints submitted via SCORES within fifteen days; if additional information is needed, it must be requested within seven days and the fifteen-day period will run from receipt of that information. Stock Exchanges and Depositories must develop systems to execute these requirements. The circular partially modifies earlier 2011 circulars and is issued under SEBI's regulatory powers.

Jurisdictional allocation of customs functions assigns Chennai II and IV responsibility for cargo and unfiled bills of entry matters.
The amendment assigns specific operational and enforcement functions to Chennai II and Chennai IV Commissionerates for all cargo pertaining to Chennai Sea Port, Kattupalli Port, Ennore Port and ICD Tondiarpet, including responsibility for cases of offences and other matters where bills of entry have not been filed for goods landed at the respective ports.

Schemes of Arrangement: revised filing, disclosure, valuation and e voting requirements and conditions for listing without IPO.
SEBI's circular revises the framework for schemes of arrangement by listed entities and for relaxations permitting listing without an IPO. It mandates filing a Draft Scheme with a designated stock exchange and submission of specified documents (valuation report, fairness opinion, audited financials, auditor's certificate, compliance report, and complaints report); requires public disclosure and stock exchange observation; sets valuation and auditor certification rules; prescribes e voting by public shareholders in defined circumstances; and lists eligibility, lock in and processing conditions for Rule based relaxation to permit listing of transferee entity shares without an initial public offer.

Show Cause Notice rules: drafting, extended period ingredients, adjudication limits and recovery procedures clarified for compliance.
The circular consolidates procedural and substantive requirements for a Show Cause Notice, mandating clear identity, factual summary, legal framework, evidence disclosure, quantification principles and statement of authority; it requires showing ingredients when invoking the extended period, prescribes service and hearing safeguards, sets monetary limits and jurisdiction for adjudication, restricts lower level adjudication of core legal issues, and outlines recovery powers, instalment relief, and refund of pre deposits.

Customs broker association enrolment required; brokers must join the recognised local association or notify authorities of issues.
The Commissioner recognised the renamed local body as the Customs Brokers Association and advises that, where a recognised association exists at a customs station, each customs broker must enrol as a member of that recognised association under the licensing provisions; brokers encountering difficulties are to notify the issuing office or the jurisdictional Additional/Joint Commissioner.

Online verification of cash transactions enhances AIMS-based officer access and notice generation under section 133(6) capabilities.
Enhancements to the AIMS module permit designated users to generate notice u/s 133(6) after entering approval details, record Survey u/s 133A particulars and attach supporting documents, and mark cases as Not Traceable or Not Responsive. Investigation and I&CI wing users and supervisory officers may view cases, provide enquiry/survey/search inputs, and-subject to mandatory PAN entry for Investigation/I&CI users-search PAN on an All India basis. Operational support is available via the ITBA helpdesk.

Government-backed line of credit sets export content, shipment declaration, and commission payment rules for project financing.
Exim Bank's Government backed Line of Credit to Tanzania for Zanzibar's water supply conditions exports by requiring at least 75 per cent of contract value to be supplied from India, permitting up to 25 per cent sourcing abroad, mandating declaration of shipments on the Export Declaration Form, restricting agency commission payments to exporters' own funds or Exchange Earners' Foreign Currency Accounts after full realisation, and imposing a terminal utilisation period measured from project completion.

Line of credit to support reconstruction: supply content rules, utilization period, export declaration and commission constraints apply.
Export-Import Bank of India has provided a Government of India supported Line of Credit to Nepal for reconstruction projects, effective February 24, 2017, requiring shipments to be declared on the Export Declaration Form and a terminal utilization period of sixty months after project completion. Contracts must have at least 75% of goods and services supplied from India (50% for civil works). No agency commission is payable under the LOC, though exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission payments; AD Category-I banks may permit such remittances after full realization and compliance.