Export permission for wheat to Nepal granted through National Cooperative Exports Limited under Foreign Trade Policy.
The Central Government, exercising powers under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant Foreign Trade Policy provisions, authorizes export of a specified quantity of wheat (HSN 1001) to Nepal to be carried out through a designated cooperative export agency, with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade issuing the notification that implements this channel-specific export permission.

Biometric Aadhaar authentication centres are designated for GST registration applicants across notified jurisdictional areas, effective from the stated date.
Biometric-based Aadhaar authentication for GST registration applicants is to be undertaken through designated Facilitation Centers under the proviso to sub-rule (4A) of Rule 8 of the Rajasthan Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017. The notification maps specified State Tax circles, AC/CTO wards and ward headquarters across the notified zones to corresponding Facilitation Centers and their office locations. The designated network covers jurisdictional areas throughout Rajasthan, including Bikaner, Jaipur, Pali, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhiwadi, Jodhpur, Alwar, SriGanganagar, Bhilwara, Bharatpur and Kota zones. It takes effect from 7 January 2025.

Income exemption under section 10(46): specified horticulture grants, activity revenue and interest exempt subject to compliance.
The Central Government notifies that the Karnataka State Horticulture Development Agency's specified income-grants in aid from Central and State Governments, revenue from horticulture activities per its Memorandum of Association, and interest on bank deposits-is exempt under clause (46) of section 10 of the Income tax Act, subject to conditions prohibiting commercial activity, requiring unchanged activities and income character across financial years, and mandated return filing under clause (g) of sub section (4C) of section 139; the notification applies retrospectively for specified assessment years.

Exemption under section 10(46): specified municipal, rental and interest income exempt for Rabindra Setu subject to conditions.
Notification grants income tax exemption to The Commissioners for the Rabindra Setu, Kolkata for specified receipts-municipal and railway tax proceeds, miscellaneous income such as rental, maintenance, fibre laying and way leave receipts and recoverable damage costs, and interest on bank deposits-subject to conditions: no commercial activity, unchanged activities and income nature, and filing returns as required by clause (g) of sub section (4C) of section 139; applied retrospectively to assessment years 2019 2020 to 2023 2024.

Certification requirement for investment advisers: mandatory NISM initial and renewal exams to maintain compliance and standing.
An obligation is imposed that investment advisers, their associated persons, principal officers of non individual advisers, and partners of adviser partnership firms must pass the designated initial certification examinations and, before expiry of their existing certificates, obtain the prescribed renewal certification to maintain continuity of compliance; the notification takes effect on publication and rescinds prior related notifications.

Stakeholder consultation in trade policy may be sought, while government can withhold reasons for national security or confidentiality concerns.
Amendment inserts Para 1.07A permitting the Central Government to seek views from relevant stakeholders, including importers, exporters and industry experts, on formulation or amendment of the Foreign Trade Policy and, where possible, to allow a time limited period for submissions, while preserving the Government's right to act suo moto without consultation. Para 1.07B allows the Government, on a best endeavour basis, to give reasons to stakeholders when their feedback is not incorporated but exempts disclosure where doing so would harm trade relations, national security, conflict with policies or obligations, concern narrow private interests, or require revealing confidential information, and confirms no legal right to compel such reasons.

No tax deduction under section 194Q for purchases from IFSC Units where seller files verified declaration; buyer must report.
No tax is to be deducted by a buyer under the purchase-linked withholding provision on payments to an IFSC Unit seller if the seller furnishes and verifies the prescribed Form No. 1 declaring the ten consecutive assessment years for which it opts for deduction under the relevant incentive provision. After receipt of the verified declaration the buyer shall not deduct tax for those years and must report all such payments in the statutory TDS statement; the relief is limited to the declared years. Systems procedures and security standards will be prescribed, effective 1 January 2025.

No tax deduction on payments to a Central Government financed credit guarantee fund after official notification.
The Central Government, exercising powers under the Income tax Act, notifies that no deduction of income tax under the Chapter governing tax deduction at source shall be made on payments received by a credit guarantee fund that is established and wholly financed by the Central Government and managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited; the notification is effective from its publication in the Official Gazette.

No tax deduction on payments to National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company under Chapter XVII, effective upon publication.
No deduction of income-tax shall be made under Chapter XVII on payments received by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited, a company established and wholly financed by the Central Government for operating credit guarantee funds established and wholly financed by the Central Government; the notification is effective from its publication in the Official Gazette.

CSR-2 filing deadline extended allowing additional time for submission under amended Companies (Accounts) Rules compliance.
The Central Government amends Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 by substituting in rule 12, sub rule (1B) fourth proviso the earlier deadline with a later date, thereby extending the filing period for Corporate Social Responsibility reporting in Form CSR 2; the amendment takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Carry forward of unspent administrative expenses permitted, with reporting in Form FC 4 and chartered accountant certification required.
Associations may carry forward the unspent part of allowable administrative expenses to the immediately succeeding financial year with reasons recorded in Form FC-4. Form FC-4 is amended to add a receipt item for transfer of the foreign contribution part of income tax refunds from non FCRA accounts, a detailed schedule for carry forward calculations and reasons, and expanded chartered accountant particulars and certification language requiring examination of FC 4 entries and disclosure of any violations.

Online money gaming taxation: platform organisers deemed suppliers and taxable for specified actionable claims supplied to persons in India.
The Act defines "online gaming" and "online money gaming"-the latter encompassing payments or deposits of money or money's worth, including virtual digital assets, for chances to win-adopts the Income tax Act meaning of virtual digital asset, adds "specified actionable claims" to include betting, casinos, gambling, horse racing, lottery and online money gaming, deems organisers or platform operators of such supplies to be suppliers liable for GST, extends taxation to online money gaming supplied from outside India to persons in India, and substitutes "specified actionable claims" in Schedule III while preserving other regulatory laws.

Tariff value fixation revises import tariff values for edible oils, brass scrap, areca nut, gold and silver.
Fixes tariff values by substituting TABLE 1, TABLE 2 and TABLE 3 in the principal customs notification, listing specific US dollar tariff values for edible oils (various palm and soybean oils), brass scrap, areca nuts, and unit values for gold and silver in specified forms; clarifies scope and exclusions for precious metal entries and specifies the commencement date.

Input Tax Credit rectification procedure allows registered persons to correct earlier denials where credit is now eligible under law.
Notifies a special rectification procedure enabling registered persons, where no appeal is pending, to apply electronically for correction of orders that confirmed demand for wrongful availment of input tax credit but where that credit is now available; requires uploading Annexure A, decision by the original issuing authority within a prescribed period, electronic upload of the rectified-order summary in the relevant form, limitation of rectification to the credit portion now eligible, and adherence to natural justice when rectification adversely affects the applicant, with specified declarations and verification.

Late fee waiver for GSTR-7 filers: excess late fees waived and full waiver where tax deducted at source is nil.
The State Government waives specified portions of late fee under section 47 for registered persons required to deduct tax at source who failed to furnish FORM GSTR-7 for June 2021 onwards by the due date, including waiver of the late fee amount in excess of a fixed per day amount and waiver of amounts exceeding a set aggregate threshold; where central tax deducted at source in a month is nil, the total late fee for that month is waived.

Inclusion of metal scrap recipients alters notification scope, excluding certain inter registered supplies from the notification's application.
The notification amends the prior GST notification by inserting a clause that identifies a registered person receiving supplies of metal scrap from another registered person as a specified class, and by substituting the proviso so that the notification will not apply to supplies between persons specified under the statutory clauses, except the person included by the new clause. The amendment is effective from 10 October 2024.

Registration exemption for suppliers using e-commerce operators subject to PAN validation, portal enrolment, single state supply, and other conditions.
Exemption from mandatory registration is specified for suppliers of goods through an electronic commerce operator who collect tax at source and whose aggregate turnover does not exceed the registration threshold, subject to conditions: no inter-State supplies, supply in only one State or Union territory, possession and portal validation of PAN and business address, issuance of a single enrolment number on successful validation, prohibition on supply without enrolment, and cessation of the enrolment number upon subsequent formal registration.

Tariff concessions under India-Australia ECTA: amended basic customs duty schedule takes effect, reducing duties on specified tariff items.
Substitutes Table I and Table II of the principal customs notification to set revised Basic Customs Duty and Additional Import Duty rates for specified tariff items, including zero duty entries and AIDC distinctions for particular goods; issued under section 25 of the Customs Act, 1962, and effective from 1st January, 2025.

Minimum Import Price imposed on soda ash imports, permitting clearance only when CIF value meets mandated threshold.
A Minimum Import Price (MIP) has been imposed on Disodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) under Chapter 28, converting specified ITC(HS) import entries from 'Free' to 'Restricted' while allowing imports treated as free only where the CIF value meets the prescribed CIF value threshold; the measure is promulgated under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act and operative for the period stated in the notification.

Minimum Export Price on natural honey maintained, extending the MEP requirement and export price-floor obligation.
The notification prescribes a binding Minimum Export Price (MEP) as an export condition for natural honey under the Export Policy, establishing an FOB price floor per metric ton that exporters must observe. It extends the pre-existing MEP requirement beyond its prior expiry, continuing the temporal price-floor obligation for exports of natural honey for the stated extension period and amends the earlier notification accordingly.