Permanent Account Number application deadline extended for transitional applicants, altering cutoff timing for assessment years.
The notification amends earlier PAN transition deadlines under section 139A by extending the application cutoff for assessment year 1997-98 and substituting paragraph 2 to require applications before a specified later date for assessment year 1998-1999 and on or before the usual June cutoff for assessment year 1999-2000 and subsequent years, thereby setting the revised timeline for applicants to apply to the Assessing Officer for allotment under the new PAN series.

Notification correction clarifies company name in income-tax notification, amending Transcrop to Transcorp under section 36(1)(viii).
Central Government issues a correction to Notification No. 10625 dated 3-6-1998 under clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of section 36, substituting the incorrectly recorded corporate name "Transcrop Housing Finance Ltd." with the correct name "Transcorp Housing Finance Ltd."

Service qualification period reduced by amendment to Company Law Board membership rule, shortening the required prior service term.
Amendment to rule 3(5)(b) of the Company Law Board (Qualifications, Experience and other Conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 1993, substitutes the previously prescribed duration with a shorter duration; the Central Government enacted the Company Law Board (Qualifications, Experience and other Conditions of Service of Members) Amendment Rules, 1998, which take effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Appointment of Commissioner of Customs (Appeals) expands designated appellate and proper officers through notification amendments.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 29/97-Customs (N.T.) to substitute specified column (3) entries and insert new serial entries in the Table, reallocating designated appellate and proper officers: serial No. 12 is revised to list Commissioners of Customs, Delhi and Amritsar and Commissioners of Central Excise, Delhi I/II/III; serial No. 13A is revised to list Commissioner of Central Excise, Vadodara; new serials insert designations for Commissioners and Commissioners of Central Excise for Jaipur and Surat, thereby expanding appointment designations under the notification.

Anti-dumping duty on polystyrene imposed, varying by country and exporter, affecting specified Asian imports.
Imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of polystyrene under section 9A(2) and the Customs Tariff anti-dumping Rules, based on preliminary Designated Authority findings. The notification prescribes country- and exporter-specific duty rates for polystyrene from Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Japan, with differentiated treatment for named exporters and product subtypes where specified. The measure is effective until the stated expiry date or until a final anti-dumping duty notification is issued.

Installation requirement for capital goods now mandates certification of installation and use, with authority to allow extensions.
Amendments require that capital goods imported, assembled or manufactured under the listed notifications be installed in the importer's factory or premises and that a certificate from the jurisdictional Assistant Commissioner of Central Excise or an independent Chartered Engineer confirming installation and use be produced within six months from completion of imports, subject to extension by the Assistant Commissioner of Customs.

Delegation of Commissioner powers: authorising exercise of nationwide investigation and adjudication authority for assigned excise cases.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs, under clause (b) of section 2 of the Central Excise Act, 1944 read with rule 4 of the Central Excise Rules, 1944, invests the Commissioner of Central Excise, Vadodara, with the powers of the Commissioner of Central Excise to be exercised throughout the territory of India for the purpose of investigation and adjudication of such cases as may be assigned to him by the Board.

Customs amendment raises the eligible weight threshold for light-weight coated paper under the existing exemption notification.
The Central Government, under section 25(1) of the Customs Act read with the Finance Bill provision given force of law, amends Notification No. 34/98-Customs to substitute the weight limit in the Table against Serial No. 7 for light-weight coated paper, replacing the previously specified upper weight threshold with a revised upper weight threshold for eligibility under that notification.

Weight threshold for lightweight coated paper increased under customs notification, expanding eligibility for the tariff exemption.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 12/97-Customs by substituting in the Table, against Serial No. 15, clause (e), the words, figures and letters "weighing upto 51 g/m2" with "weighing upto 70 g/m2", thereby increasing the weight threshold that qualifies lightweight coated paper for the tariff exemption under that notification.

Amendment to customs exemption expands lightweight coated paper weight threshold, altering eligibility for duty relief.
Amendment to a customs miscellaneous exemption notification substitutes the description "weighing upto 51 g/m2" with "weighing upto 70 g/m2" for light-weight coated paper in the Table against the relevant serial entry of Notification No. 23/98-Customs, effected under powers of section 25(1) of the Customs Act, 1962 in the public interest.

Exchange rate determination: government fixed conversion rates for specified foreign currencies for export goods, superseding prior notification.
The Central Government, exercising powers under the Customs Act, determines specified conversion rates of listed foreign currencies into Indian currency for export goods, superseding the earlier notification; the rates are set out in Schedule I (per unit rates) and Schedule II (per one hundred units) and apply from the notified commencement date.

Exchange rate determination for imported goods establishes official conversion rates for stamp duty and customs calculation.
The Central Government prescribes official conversion rates for specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for calculating stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act and for determining values under section 14 of the Customs Act insofar as they relate to imported goods; the notification supersedes the earlier notification and declares the rates in two appended schedules (per unit and per one hundred units) effective from 1st June, 1998.

Customs exemption amendments for captive power plants introduce capacity-based approvals and revised procedural conditions for inputs and movement.
Amendments to Customs exemption notifications reclassify exemptions for captive power plants and related spares, fuel, lubricants and consumables into capacity-based categories - sets exceeding 1000 KVA subject to central committee recommendation and sets up to 1000 KVA subject to a designated officer's recommendation - and harmonise Tables and Annexures accordingly. The package also adds or clarifies exempt goods and procedural rules concerning indigenously procured clearances, temporary movement and destruction within export zones, inclusion of furnace oil and aquaculture inputs, officer designation changes, and a re importation allowance within one year for failed exports.

Rescission of notification: exemption for isobutyl benzene imports from China withdrawn under Customs Tariff authority.
The Central Government, exercising powers under section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act and rule 18 of the anti-dumping Rules, rescinds Notification No. 134/95-Customs, thereby withdrawing the exemption for isobutyl benzene imported from China and removing that notification's legal force.

Anti-dumping duty on Isobutyl Benzene imposed for imports from Peoples Republic of China into India under customs rules.
An anti-dumping duty is imposed on imports of Isobutyl Benzene under Chapter 29 when originating in or exported from the Peoples Republic of China, pursuant to sub section (1) of section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and rule 23 of the Anti dumping Rules, following designated authority findings and the Central Government's satisfaction that such a levy is necessary in the public interest.

Central Excise Rules amendment updates commissioner designations and inserts new commissioner posts altering rule entries.
The amendment to the Central Excise Rules revises rule 2, clause (5) by substituting item (iia) to list the Commissioner of Central Excise, Vadodara and the Commissioner of Central Excise (Appeals), Vadodara; inserting item (xiiia) to add Commissioners for Surat-I, Surat-II and the Commissioner of Central Excise (Appeals), Surat; omitting specified sub-items in item (ix); and inserting item (xia) to add Commissioners for Jaipur-I, Jaipur-II and the Commissioner of Central Excise (Appeals), Jaipur.

Coastal trade port designation: PY-3 Oil field formally added to the notified list for coastal trade under customs rules.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 64/94-(N.T.)-Customs by adding entry (4) in column (3) against serial number 10 for Tamil Nadu, thereby formally including the PY-3 Oil field as a port for coastal trade under the customs notification framework.

Customs port designation: Dahanu authorised for unloading duty-paid coal imported by M/s. BSES Ltd under notification amendment.
Designation of Customs port at Dahanu in Maharashtra by amendment to Notification No. 62/94-(N.T.) to permit the unloading of duty-paid coal imported by M/s. BSES Ltd, thereby adding a targeted port authorization for that specific commodity and importer.

Tariff exemption for bulk-packed tea: unit containers exceeding specified size granted nil central excise duty under amended notification.
The notification amends Notification No. 05/98-C.E. by inserting Entry 2A for tariff heading 0902.10: tea put up in unit containers of content exceeding 20 kilograms per unit container, and classifies that tea at a Nil rate of central excise duty as an express exemption.

Exchange Rate Determination revises customs exchange rates for imported goods, altering valuation basis under statutory authority.
Central Government amends Notification No. 28/98-NT-Cus by substituting entries in Schedule I and Schedule II to prescribe rupee equivalents for listed foreign currencies (rates per one unit in Schedule I and per 100 units in Schedule II) for customs treatment of imported goods; the revised rates are effective from 24th June, 1998.