GST rate changes for Fortified Rice Kernel and revised pre-packaged label definition under Uttarakhand SGST.
Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) is inserted in the Uttarakhand SGST rate schedule at two entries, including Schedule I at 2.5% for heading 1904 and Schedule III at 9% by adding FRK to the relevant description. The definition of "pre-packaged and labelled" is substituted to cover retail-sale commodities not exceeding 25 kg or 25 litre that must bear declarations under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the rules made thereunder.

Customs exemption for works of art and antiques - duty waived where imports serve public museum exhibition and satisfy certification and registration conditions.
Imports of specified works of art, public memorials, and antiquities are exempt from Basic Customs Duty and integrated tax provided the importer is the purchaser/owner operating the museum or art gallery, submits an undertaking that the goods will be used for public exhibition and not sold or traded and accepts liability to pay duty if this condition is breached, produces an Authorized Officer certificate confirming unrestricted public access and purpose-built premises, and, for antiquities, registers them with the Archaeological Survey of India within ninety days of importation.

Anti-dumping duty on imported textured tempered solar glass to apply with producer-specific reference-based rates and five-year duration.
Imposition of Anti-dumping duty on textured, toughened (tempered) coated and uncoated glass under tariff headings 7003, 7005, 7007, 7016, 7020 and 8541 originating in or exported from China PR and Vietnam, with producer-specific and residual reference-based duty amounts per metric tonne in USD; product defined by transmission and thickness and inclusive of common commercial synonyms; duty payable in Indian currency for five years from 4 December 2024; exchange rate as per Government notifications and landed value defined as assessable value under the Customs Act excluding certain tariff duties.

Anti-dumping duty on sodium citrate continued, with specified producer-linked rates and currency/exchange provisions enforced.
The Central Government, adopting the designated authority's final findings, continues anti-dumping duties on imports of Sodium citrate originating in or exported from China PR, linking specified duty rates to named producers and to other exporters as set out in the duty table; the duty applies to the described imports irrespective of country of export, is payable in Indian currency, and the exchange rate and relevant date for calculation are as notified under the Customs Act.

Anti-dumping duty on glufosinate imports from China imposed, covering routed exports and protecting domestic prices.
Anti-dumping duty is imposed on imports of glufosinate and its salt from China PR and on goods exported from China PR via third countries, across specified tariff items, following findings of dumping, material injury and price undercutting. The duty is prescribed as a fixed amount per metric ton (expressed in foreign currency in the Table) and will be levied for five years from publication; payment is in Indian currency with conversion at the Government notified exchange rate applicable on the bill of entry date.

Information blocking oversight: primary and alternate officers administer statutory safeguards for restricting public access to online information.
Powers under section 69A(1) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, read with rule 3 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, were exercised to designate a Designated Officer for public-access information blocking procedures. An alternate officer was designated to perform that role during the primary officer's absence on leave, tour, or similar grounds.

Ind AS 21 requires estimating a spot exchange rate and enhanced disclosures when a currency is not exchangeable.
Amendments to Ind AS 21 require assessing whether a currency is exchangeable at each measurement date and for each specified purpose; where a currency is not exchangeable, an entity must estimate a spot exchange rate at the measurement date to reflect the rate for an orderly exchange between market participants. Entities may use an observable exchange rate without adjustment or other estimation techniques, and must disclose the nature and financial effects, rates used, estimation process, and risks. The amendments apply prospectively from annual periods beginning on or after 1 April 2025 with no restatement of comparatives.

ITR V and ITR Acknowledgement for AY2025-26 substitute forms and require specified e verification or ITR V submission procedures.
CBDT substituted FORM ITR V and the ITR Acknowledgement in Appendix II for AY 2025-26, effective 1 April 2025, prescribing that electronically transmitted returns must be e verified by Aadhaar OTP, net banking login, pre validated bank/demat EVC or ATM EVC, or by sending a signed ITR V by speed post to CPC Bengaluru; submissions elsewhere or by other modes are not permitted. If ITR V is submitted within 30 days of transmission the transmission date is the date of furnishing; submission after 30 days makes the ITR V submission date the date of furnishing and may attract late filing consequences.

Recruitment amendment: stenographer post reclassified, age eligibility broadened and transcription time extended under service rules.
The amendment reclassifies the post from Stenographer Grade-III to Stenographer Grade-II, expands the prescribed age eligibility range, provides relaxation for Government servants up to a higher age in accordance with Central Government instructions, designates the Staff Selection Commission advertisement date as the crucial date for determining age limit, and increases the transcription time requirement for the selection process.

Recruitment rules amendment updates post classifications, age eligibility and timed transcription test requirements for stenographic positions.
Amendment to Schedule I revises post designations, raises upper age limits from 25 to 27 for specified posts, provides age relaxation for government servants up to forty years in accordance with Central Government instructions, replaces words per minute transcription criteria with timed computer transcription exercises, and specifies that the crucial date for determining age limits shall be as advertised by the Staff Selection Commission.

Average variable cost designated as the primary proxy for marginal cost, with alternatives permitted upon reasoned determination.
These regulations prescribe the cost concepts and procedural approach for computing cost of production, defining multiple measures including average variable cost, total cost, total variable cost, total avoidable cost, average avoidable cost, long run average incremental cost and average total cost, and direct that average variable cost will generally be used as a proxy for marginal cost while allowing the Commission to adopt alternative cost concepts in specific cases with reasons recorded in writing.

ITR-6 form for companies updated: new disclosure requirements including foreign assets, Ind-AS, transfer pricing; effective AY2025-26.
Notification No. 44/2025 substitutes a revised FORM ITR-6 in Appendix II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, via the Income-tax (Sixteenth Amendment) Rules, 2025, effective 1 April 2025. The new ITR-6 for AY2025-26 requires expanded company identification, Ind AS reporting where applicable, extensive balance sheet and P&L schedules, detailed capital gains and virtual digital asset disclosure, transfer-pricing and secondary adjustment reporting, foreign assets/income schedules, LEI and IFSC-related fields, and numerous tax-computation and compliance schedules. An explanatory memorandum certifies retrospective effect will not adversely affect any person and a correction notification is noted.

Refund restriction: No refund where tax already discharged when a demand covers both the specified period and other periods.
Amendments to Rule 164 clarify that refunds are not available for tax, interest or penalty already discharged for the entire period prior to the amendments where a notice under section 128A includes demands partly for the specified period and partly for other periods. A proviso allows an applicant to intimate the appellate authority that they will not pursue appeal for the specified period, enabling the authority to decide only on the remaining period; the appeal is deemed withdrawn to that extent for purposes of sub clause (3) of section 128A.

Securitisation regulation updates: tightened eligibility, retention, disclosure and liquidity rules for securitised debt instruments.
Amendments tighten securitisation eligibility and prohibited structures, introduce a minimum holding period and minimum retention requirements, expand trustee custodial and governance duties including a Code of Conduct and investor meeting protocols, mandate quarterly originator reports and half yearly Board filings, prescribe detailed liquidity facility conditions to prevent credit enhancement by third parties, require dematerialised issuance and specify minimum ticket sizes, and set transaction conditions such as asset homogeneity, full upfront payment, track record requirements with RBI regulated carve outs, and concentration limits subject to Board relaxation.

Aadhaar authentication permissions extended to specified reporting entities for PMLA compliance and Aadhaar privacy and security standards.
Central Government permits specified reporting entities to perform Aadhaar authentication for purposes of the Prevention of Money laundering Act under section 11A, on the basis that those entities will comply with the privacy and security standards of the Aadhaar Act and following consultation with the Unique Identification Authority of India and the appropriate regulator.

ITR-2 form notified for AY 2025-26; new schedules expand reporting on capital gains, foreign assets, VDA and deductions.
CBDT has substituted FORM ITR-2 in Appendix II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962 by the Income-tax (Fifteenth Amendment) Rules, 2025, effective 1 April 2025, prescribing the return format and detailed schedules for individuals and HUFs (not carrying on business/profession) for Assessment Year 2025-26, including enhanced disclosures for residential status, capital gains (with pre/post 23 July 2024 distinctions), virtual digital assets, foreign assets/income, pass through income, Chapter VI A deductions, AMT/AMT credit, and related procedural identifiers.

Partial withdrawal of appeal permits appellant to limit challenge to specified period, enabling authority to decide remaining period.
Amendment provides that no refund shall be available for tax, interest or penalty already discharged for an earlier period when a demand encompasses amounts both for the specified period and for other periods. It also allows an appellant to intimate to the appellate authority or tribunal that they do not wish to pursue the appeal for the specified period, prompting the authority to decide the remaining period and treating the intimation as a partial withdrawal for the purposes of the statutory appeal framework.

Prohibition on import or transit of goods from Pakistan establishes an immediate ban subject to prior government approval.
Para 2.20A of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 imposes an immediate prohibition on direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, regardless of prior importability, on grounds of national security and public policy, and provides that any exception requires prior approval of the Government of India; the provision is inserted into the FTP with immediate effect until further orders.

Appeal to Appellate Tribunal: new electronic filing, acknowledgements, fee structure and withdrawal procedure clarified.
Amendments prescribe electronic filing in specified forms for appeals and applications to the Appellate Tribunal with immediate provisional acknowledgement and a final acknowledgement bearing an appeal number required to treat an appeal as filed; manual filing is allowed only by Registrar order. Fees for filing or restoration are scaled with a specified minimum and maximum and appeals not involving demand attract a fixed fee; rectification applications under Section 112(10) are fee free. Withdrawal prior to issuance of an order under Section 113(1) is permitted by prescribed form and, if final acknowledgement issued, is subject to Tribunal approval within fifteen days. Additional evidence at appeal is permitted only in limited circumstances, requires written reasons for admission, and affords the adjudicating authority opportunity to examine, cross examine or rebut.

De-notification of SEZ land returns specified parcels to the state for public purpose, reducing the SEZ area accordingly.
Central Government de-notifies 13.297 hectares from the Sholinganallur Special Economic Zone, reducing the notified SEZ area to 139.300 hectares, under its powers under the Special Economic Zones Act and SEZ Rules, following State Government approval and the Development Commissioner's recommendation because the land is required back for a public purpose.