GST amendment tightens return filing time-bar, enables consent-based data sharing and increases e-commerce operator penalties.
The Act aligns the State GST law with central amendments, imposes a three-year statutory bar on furnishing outward supplies, returns, annual returns and operator statements subject to notified exceptions, revises assessment, refund and late-filing procedures including extended timelines and late fees, reconstitutes appellate tribunal arrangements, adjusts compounding and penalty provisions including enhanced e-commerce operator liability, and introduces consent-based sharing of taxpayer data via the common portal while providing protection from liability for the Government and portal.

Notification amendment updates paragraph reference and trade policy definitions, applying retrospectively to align state GST references with central instruments.
Amendment revises a Punjab GST notification by substituting a paragraph reference and replacing Explanation clauses to update the definitions of Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures to the 2023 central instruments, and declares the amendment effective retrospectively from a prior commencement date.

Forward charge mechanism amended: eligibility now depends on starting under forward charge and not reverting to reverse charge.
The notification substitutes in Annexure III the phrase limiting applicability to supplies "during the Financial Year _________ under forward charge" with wording covering supplies "from the Financial Year ________ under forward charge and have not reverted to reverse charge mechanism," thereby making the temporal scope and continuous status under the forward charge mechanism the operative eligibility criterion; the amendment is effective from 27th July, 2023.

Classification change: Satellite launch services specified in GST notification, altering taxable services classification with retrospective effect.
The Punjab GST notification amends the table of taxable services by substituting the entry for serial number 19C to read "Satellite launch services." The amendment is made under powers granted by the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act and related enabling provisions, and is declared to be effective retrospectively from 27th July, 2023, thereby formally altering the statutory schedule of taxable services.

Option to revert to reverse charge mechanism requires filing Annexure VI within the prescribed pre financial year window; effective retrospectively.
The notification amends the timing and documentation for a Goods Transport Agency's option to pay GST under forward charge and to revert to the reverse charge mechanism: the option or declaration to revert must be filed within a prescribed pre financial year window; an option to pay is deemed to continue for subsequent years unless the GTA files the prescribed declaration in the new window. Annexure V is revised for timing language and Annexure VI is inserted as the prescribed form to declare reversion, with the amendments effective from the stated commencement date.

GST scope amended: central government excluding ministry of railways now included with state, union territory and local authorities.
The notification substitutes the entry at S. No. 6, column 4 of the earlier Punjab GST notification with Central Government [excluding Ministry of Railways (Indian Railways)], State Government, Union territory or a local authority, expressly excluding the Ministry of Railways while including State Governments, Union territories and local authorities. The amendment is made under sub-section (3) of section 9 of the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and is deemed effective from 20th October, 2023.

GST schedule amendment adds millet flour food preparation classification, changing tax coverage with retrospective effect.
The Punjab GST Schedule is amended to insert a new entry classifying "food preparation of millet flour, in powder form, containing at least 70% millets by weight, other than pre-packaged and labelled" as a distinct Schedule item; the notification, issued by the Department of Excise and Taxation on Council recommendation, is effective retrospectively from 20th October 2023.

Passenger transportation by omnibus taxed unless supplied through an e commerce operator by a company, per state GST amendment.
The notification amends the state GST notification to exclude omnibus from the prior motor vehicle phrase, inserts a new clause treating transportation of passengers by omnibus as a separate taxable category except where supplied through an electronic commerce operator by a company, and adds an Explanation defining "Company" by reference to the Companies Act, 2013; the amendment is given retrospective effect from the stated commencement date.

Construction service classification altered to include land value when charged, except if consideration follows completion certificate or occupation.
The opening paragraph of the earlier notification is amended to classify services of construction of a complex, building or part thereof intended for sale as covered where the amount charged includes the value of land or undivided share of land, except where the entire consideration has been received only after issuance of the completion certificate, where required, or after first occupation, whichever is earlier; the amendment is effective from 20th October, 2023.

Exemption scope for central government services revised to add Ministry of Railways to postal exemption and carve it out elsewhere.
Amends Notification No. S.O. 35/P.A.5/2017/S.9/2017 by inserting "and the Ministry of Railways (Indian Railways)" after "Department of Posts" in the relevant table entry and by adding "[excluding the Ministry of Railways (Indian Railways)]" to the entry for "Services supplied by the Central Government"; the amendment is deemed to have come into force on and with effect from 20th October, 2023.

Services to Governmental Authority added under Chapter 99 with nil tax entries; Ministry of Railways included alongside Department of Posts.
The amendment inserts Table entry 3B under Chapter 99 listing services to a Governmental Authority-water supply; public health; sanitation conservancy; solid waste management; and slum improvement and upgradation-with Nil shown in the relevant tax columns. It further inserts "and the Ministry of Railways (Indian Railways)" after "Department of Posts" in several existing Table entries and provisos; the notification is deemed to have come into force from the twentieth day of October, 2023.

TRQ access for India UAE CEPA enables notified holders to import gold and take delivery through IFSCA vaults.
The amendment substitutes Condition No. 2 to require that the IEC in a TRQ authorization be of nominated agencies (RBI notified banks; DGFT notified agencies), qualified jewellers notified by IFSCA through IIBX, or valid India-UAE TRQ holders notified by IFSCA through IIBX; such holders may obtain physical delivery via IFSCA registered vaults in SEZs per IFSCA guidelines. Importation must follow the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty or for Specified End Use) Rules, 2022, except where the importer and TRQ holder are the same entity.

Anti-dumping duty on industrial laser machines from China PR imposed with producer-specific rates and five-year validity.
Anti-dumping duty is imposed on industrial laser machines used for cutting, marking or welding, including fully assembled, SKD and CKD forms, falling under the specified tariff items and originating in or exported from China PR. The measure applies on the basis of final findings of dumped exports, material injury to the domestic industry, and causal link between the dumped imports and injury. The duty is producer-specific, includes a residual rate for other producers, is payable in Indian currency, and remains in force for five years unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier.

New ITR forms ITR 1 SAHAJ and ITR 4 SUGAM replace prior versions; effective April 1, 2024.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes issues the Income-tax (Thirtieth Amendment) Rules, 2023, effective April 1, 2024, substituting the existing APPENDIX II forms by replacing Form ITR-1 SAHAJ and Form ITR-4 SUGAM with new versions. The new ITR-1 and ITR-4 specify eligibility exclusions, collect PAN, Aadhaar and filing particulars, provide schedules for salary, house property, other sources, presumptive business computation, deductions, tax computation, TDS/TCS and advance tax, bank details for refunds, and verification requirements.

Impact Assessment terminology replaces social audit terms, expanding investor access and vesting issuance procedures with Board specified conditions.
The amendment replaces "Social Auditor" and social audit firm terminology with "Impact Assessor" and "Impact Assessment", broadens investor access by removing limiting language and adding retail investors, and substitutes references to institutional/non institutional investors with "eligible investors". It substitutes Regulation 292K to require the Board to specify procedure and conditions for public issuance of Zero Coupon Zero Principal Instruments by NPOs, substitutes Regulation 292M to require the Board to specify fund raising document contents, and omits Regulation 292N.

Social Impact Assessment requirement replaces Social Audit designation for specified listing disclosures, changing the responsible professional role.
Regulation 91E(2) of the Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements is amended by substituting the phrase requiring the social component to be "audited by a Social Audit Firm employing Social Auditor" with a requirement that it be "assessed by a Social Impact Assessment Firm employing Social Impact Assessor(s)"; the amendment takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Special Economic Zone notification designates area, establishes Approval Committee and deems zone an inland container depot.
Notification designates a Multi Sector Special Economic Zone at Panapakkam Village, Ranipet District, comprising specified survey parcels aggregating 52.2065 hectares, issues the land schedule for SEZ boundary and administration, constitutes an Approval Committee with identified ex officio members and state nominees for SEZ governance, and deems the SEZ to be an Inland Container Depot under the Customs Act to align customs status with SEZ operations.

Exchange rate determination for customs conversion effective, setting distinct import and export currency conversion rates.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs determines rates for converting specified foreign currencies to Indian rupees for customs valuation of imported and export goods, effective from 22nd December, 2023, and superseding an earlier notification except for prior actions. Schedule I provides per-unit exchange rates with separate columns for imported and export goods; Schedule II provides exchange rates per 100 units for designated currencies, also distinguishing imported and export rates.

Extension of customs exemption period extends notification expiry to 31st March 2025 but excludes certain edible oils from April.
The notification substitutes the prior expiry date with 31st March, 2025 for the customs relief provided in the principal notification, and adds a proviso that the relief shall not apply to the goods specified at serial numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the Table on or after 1st April, 2024.

Passenger transportation services by omnibus distinguished under GST, with a company-ecommerce exception defining tax treatment.
Amendment removes omnibuses from the general motor vehicle clause by substituting language to read "or any other motor vehicle except omnibus" and inserts a new clause (ia) treating "services by way of transportation of passengers by an omnibus" as a distinct category, except where the service is supplied through an electronic commerce operator that is a company. The Explanation is expanded to define "Company" by reference to the Companies Act, 2013. The amendment takes effect from the twentieth day of October, 2023 and amends Notification No.17/2017-State Tax (Rate).