Concentration limits in mutual fund debt portfolios restrict exposure to a single issuer, with board approvals for higher exposure.
Mutual fund schemes face an issuer-level debt concentration limit on investments in debt instruments rated not below investment grade by a Board-authorised credit rating agency, with a provision for higher exposure subject to prior approval of the Board of Trustees and the asset management company's Board of Directors. Exemptions include Government securities, treasury bills and collateralized borrowing and lending obligations; mortgaged backed securitised debt may be included within the limit if similarly rated. Existing schemes must conform to the revised limits within a timeframe and manner specified by the Board.

Special Economic Zone expansion incorporates additional land into IT/ITES SEZ, updating the notified SEZ area and boundaries.
Notification amends a previously notified IT/ITES Special Economic Zone at Kalwa Trans Thane Creek Industrial Area, MIDC, District Thane by incorporating an additional plot proposed by the private developer under the Special Economic Zones Act and Rules, specifying the plot and recording the revised total area of the SEZ and the authorising administrative reference.

Registrar recruitment by deputation sets law degree requirements, deputation tenure and age limits, with polygamy disqualification and UPSC consultation.
These rules govern recruitment to the Registrar post of the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA, establishing it as a Group A Gazetted non ministerial post to be filled primarily by deputation (including short term contract) from specified analogous posts across government and allied bodies. Candidates must hold a law degree and requisite experience in judicial service, legal departments, teaching or law administration; pre 2006 regular service is to be deemed at corresponding grade pay for deputation eligibility. Deputation tenure is ordinarily limited to three years, the deputation age ceiling is specified, polygamy is a disqualification subject to Central Government exemption, and UPSC consultation is required for deputation appointments.

Excise non-recovery: directed non-payment of duty on animal-feed grade di-calcium phosphate for specified past period.
A central government notification directs that excise duty on Di Calcium Phosphate (animal feed grade) of rock phosphate origin, not levied due to a prevailing practice during 1 February 2008 to 1 February 2014, shall not be required to be paid; the direction is issued under the government's statutory administrative power to relieve past duty liabilities where such a practice existed.

Exchange rate amendment updates the rupee equivalents for the Japanese Yen, effective from mid-February.
The Central Board, under the powers conferred by Section 14 of the Customs Act, substitutes serial number 1 in Schedule II of Notification No.18/2016-CUSTOMS (N.T.), replacing that entry with a line identifying the Japanese Yen and the accompanying rupee conversion figures, with effect from 13th February, 2016.

Return Revision Deadline: GE-II returns may be filed and revised until the end of the following financial year.
Returns in Form GE-II for the specified first three quarters are required to be filed by the prescribed extended date, and any such return may be revised if discrepancies are found up to the end of the financial year following the financial year of the quarterly period. The Government entity must indicate whether the return filed is original or revised, and the direction takes immediate effect.

Courier firms must file quarterly online returns for deliveries over Rs10000 and enroll via Form CR I.
Courier firms operating in Delhi must enroll online via Form CR I to obtain a CRID and password, update Form CR I within 30 days of changes, and file quarterly Form CR II returns by the 28th day following each quarter for deliveries with delivery dates within the quarter where the value of goods exceeds Rupees Ten Thousands. Form CR II requires consignment, consignor and consignee particulars, invoice details, goods description, quantity and value. Returns are uploaded via the Department portal, may be revised up to the end of the subsequent quarter, and must be verified by the authorised person named in Form CR I; non compliance is actionable under the VAT Act.

Digital signatures requirement lets the tax commissioner mandate e-filed VAT returns without separate DVAT-56 verification.
The amendment empowers the Commissioner to require specified dealers or classes of dealers to furnish Delhi VAT returns with digital signatures under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and stipulates that such dealers will not be required to submit the Return Verification Form (Form DVAT-56) for acknowledgement of the return.

Export procedure deferment: sesame seed export rules to the EU postponed, new commencement date specified by government.
Amendment to Notification No. 37/2015-20 defers the commencement of the procedure for export of sesame seeds to European Union countries by amending "with immediate effect" to read "with effect from 10.03.2016", so that the procedural conditions and compliance obligations will apply only from that specified date.

Special Courts designation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act enables trial of money laundering offences in specified districts.
The Central Government, invoking sub section (1) of section 43 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and consulting the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court, notifies designated Courts of Session as Special Courts for trial of money laundering offences, with the annexure specifying the Sessions Courts in Manipur and Tripura and the territorial districts for which each court will exercise trial jurisdiction.

Tariff value fixation for specified imports maintains declared reference values, affecting customs valuation and import assessment.
The Central Board of Excise & Customs, under section 14(2) of the Customs Act, substitutes TABLE 1, TABLE 2 and TABLE 3 of the principal notification to fix tariff reference values in US dollars for specified imports. The amendment lists edible oils (various palm and soybean oils), brass scrap, poppy seeds and areca nuts with unchanged per metric tonne values, and records per unit tariff values for gold and silver where concessional entries are availed, thereby updating the statutory schedule for customs valuation and import assessment.

Duty drawback rates revised: amendment updates tariff-specific All Industry Rates, units and entries, altering drawback eligibility and calculation.
Revision of All Industry Rates of Duty Drawback by amending Notification No. 110/2015 Customs (N.T.), effecting chapter wise substitutions, insertions and deletions of tariff items and entries; changes include revised drawback percentages, units of measurement and numeric rates for specified goods across multiple chapters, and the notification prescribes these Schedule amendments to take effect on the stated effective date.

Customs notification amendment adds Commissioner of Customs, Air Cargo Complex Chennai as a designated proper officer under Customs Act.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs has amended Notification No.35/2007-CUSTOMS (N.T.) to insert the Commissioner of Customs, Air Cargo Complex, Chennai as a specified proper officer, thereby adding that office to the list of designated authorities under the principal notification pursuant to the powers conferred by the Customs Act.

Common Adjudicating Authority appointed to centralize adjudication of specified customs show cause cases under the Customs Act.
Appoints the Additional Director General (Adjudication), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Mumbai as the Common Adjudicating Authority to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the adjudicating authorities listed in the Table in respect of the specified show cause notices, pursuant to the enabling provisions of the Customs Act.

Special Court designation for money-laundering offences allocates trial jurisdiction by territory, court category, investigating agency, and case transfer.
Special Courts for money-laundering offences are designated from Courts of Session under section 43(1) of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 for trial of offences punishable under section 4. Each court receives defined territorial jurisdiction covering an entire State or Union Territory, specified districts, revenue districts, or sessions divisions. Separate Special Courts may be assigned according to the investigating agency, including cases arising from Central Bureau of Investigation, anti-corruption, or economic-offence investigations. Designated additional courts may receive cases made over by the principal court within the relevant territorial or agency-specific stream.

Special Directors (Appeals) appointed to hear FEMA appeals, allocating zonal and sub zonal jurisdictions for adjudicatory review.
Commissioners of Income Tax (Appeals) are appointed as Special Directors (Appeals) to hear appeals against orders of Adjudicating Authorities under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, with specific zonal and sub zonal jurisdictions and States/Union Territories assigned to each nominee, effective from publication and supplementary to their existing duties.

Minimum Import Price on iron and steel imports introduced; specific exemptions for advance authorisations and API-grade pipeline steel apply.
Introduction of a Minimum Import Price on 173 HS codes under Chapter 72, Schedule I (Import Policy), establishing CIF-basis floor prices for listed iron and steel products as set out in the Annex. Exemptions apply for imports under the Advance Authorisation Scheme, API-grade steels used for pipeline manufacture (X-52 and higher), and shipments under Letters of Credit entered prior to the notification, all subject to the Foreign Trade Policy provision. The MIP regime is time-limited to six months from notification or until further orders.

Developing country notification updates the roster recognised for tariff treatment under Section 8B(6)(a) of the Customs Tariff Act.
The Central Government, exercising power under Section 8B(6)(a) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, notifies a named list of foreign states as developing countries, superseding the prior 1998 notification except as to past actions, thereby establishing the roster to be applied for tariff and regulatory treatment tied to that statutory provision.

Customs exemption for exhibition and event imports applies subject to declaration, bond, re-export, and identification conditions.
Customs exemption is provided for goods in Schedule I imported into India for display or use at an event in Schedule II, subject to re-export and compliance with declaration, bond, identification, and re-export conditions. The notification also permits limited relaxations for specified government and diplomatic imports, home consumption on payment of duty and interest before the re-export deadline, and exceptions for perishable, damaged, or consumed goods. It excludes alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and applies only to the qualifying event categories listed in Schedule II.

Exchange rate determination for customs conversion effective 5 February 2016 establishes currency rates for imports and exports.
Determination of exchange rates for customs conversion effective 5 February 2016 prescribes specific conversion rates for listed foreign currencies to be applied for valuation of imported and export goods. The rates are organized into Schedule I, showing per unit rates for imports and exports, and Schedule II, showing per hundred unit rates for certain currencies, with a noted substitution for the Japanese Yen entry and supersession of the earlier notification.