Duty drawback amendment for ceramic refractory tariff items updates tariff entries and fixes drawback rates per metric tonne.
Notification substitutes tariff entries in Chapter 69 (CERAMIC PRODUCTS) for heading 6902, replacing existing Schedule entries with new tariff item codes 690201-690213 and 690299 and assigning specific duty drawback percentages and unit measures per metric tonne for each listed refractory ceramic product, including high alumina, magnesia, magnesite, alumina carbon, chrome magnesite, fused cast refractories and an "Others" category, thereby amending the Schedule to Notification No. 92/2012-Customs (N.T.).

Centralised processing of TDS statements enables electronic correction, rectification and service procedures, with appeals to jurisdictional appellate commissioner.
The scheme mandates electronic furnishing and verification of correction statements by deductors through authorised agencies or portals, empowers Centralised Processing Cells to process statements taking prior corrections into account, and allows Commissioners to set processing procedures and priorities. Cells may rectify apparent mistakes on application or suo moto with prescribed forms and electronic intimation where liabilities or refunds are affected; such amendments can operate as notices of demand. Appeals from processing lie with the appellate commissioner over the deductor's assessing officer, remands and implementation are handled by the territorial assessing officer, and all communications may be served electronically.

Tariff value fixation updates import valuation tables to set fixed dollar values for specified oils, brass scrap and precious metals.
Central Board of Excise & Customs, exercising powers under sub section (2) of Section 14 of the Customs Act, substitutes TABLE 1 and TABLE 2 of Notification No. 36/2001-Customs (N.T.) to fix tariff values in US dollars per metric tonne for specified vegetable oils, brass scrap, and poppy seeds, and to fix valuation units for gold and silver when certain notification benefits are availed, thereby updating the import valuation framework for those commodities.

Madrid Protocol designation: new electronic procedures and certification requirements govern international trademark filings and recordkeeping.
Amendments require goods and services to follow the current NICE Classification and for the Registrar to publish a class-wise alphabetical index; applicants must, where practicable, use those published terms. Preliminary advice on distinctiveness must be filed on the prescribed form for a single class with the specified fee and a representation. A new Chapter IIIA implements Madrid Protocol procedures: English-language filings, electronic notices and responses, mandatory electronic filing for India-origin international applications, Registrar certification and transmission to the International Bureau subject to a handling fee, electronic recordkeeping of international registrations, and specified examination, provisional refusal, advertising, opposition transmission and notification processes.

Exchange of information expanded to mandate cross-border tax data sharing with confidentiality and use limits for tax enforcement.
The Protocol replaces Article 26 to require exchange of foreseeably relevant tax information (including documents), mandates confidentiality and restricted use by tax and judicial authorities, limits obligations where domestic law or public policy prevents disclosure, and clarifies that bank secrecy is not alone a ground for refusal. An added Protocol paragraph extends Article 26 to income-related regulatory enforcement and permits use of exchanged information for those regulations without further conditions; the Amending Protocol enters into force after mutual diplomatic notification and forms part of the Convention.

Cap on Appreciation Certificates limited annually, with presidential discretion to increase where special circumstances justify.
The amendment replaces Paragraph 4 to impose an annual ceiling on the award of Appreciation Certificates, while providing that the President may, when special circumstances justify it, authorise awards in excess of that ceiling, subject to an upper limit.

Certification requirement for equity derivative approved users and sales personnel: obtain Series VIII EDCE within prescribed timelines.
A regulatory notification requires associated persons who are approved users or sales personnel of trading members in the equity derivative segment to obtain the Series VIII EDCE certification; incumbents must pass EDCE within two years, new hires within one year, and specified existing derivative certifications grant temporary exemption for their validity, while trading members must ensure compliance.

Registration exemption for pharmaceutical and specialty sugar allows direct export while other sugar remains subject to prior registration.
The amendment to Sl. No. 93 in Chapter 17 of Schedule 2 ITC(HS) exempts specified pharmaceutical grade sugar and a defined list of specialty sugar products from the DGFT prior registration requirement; general sugar exports remain free but require prior registration of quantities, and preferential quota sugar to EU and USA must be exported through a designated export corporation subject to quantitative ceilings notified by DGFT.

Special Economic Zone boundary amendment: equal-area inclusion and denotification leaves resultant area unchanged.
The Central Government, invoking the second proviso to sub section (1) of Section 4 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 and rule 8 of the Special Economic Zone Rules, 2006, notifies the simultaneous inclusion and denotification of equal-area land parcels within the surveyed holdings of the sector-specific food processing SEZ at Chelembra, confirming that statutory requirements under sub section (8) of Section 3 are satisfied and that the resultant notified area of the SEZ remains unchanged.

VAT exemption for diplomatic official purchases: Republic of Niger added to eligible list; refund subject to minimum invoice requirement.
Addition of the Republic of Niger, New Delhi to the Sixth Schedule list permits VAT exemption/refund for its official purchases; the refund is subject to a minimum invoice value eligible for refund of Rs.5000 and is effective from 01.01.2013, modifying the entry in Part A, Sl. No.1 (sub-entry 68A) of the Sixth Schedule.

VAT exemption/refund: Republic of South Sudan added to eligible list, covering official and diplomats' purchases subject to minimum invoice requirement.
The Sixth Schedule is amended to add the Republic of South Sudan, New Delhi, permitting VAT exemption/refund for official purchases by the mission and for personal purchases by its diplomats, made under the Commissioner's powers under Section 103(2) of the Delhi Value Added Tax Act, 2004. The entitlement is subject to a minimum invoice value threshold and takes effect from 01.01.2013, with administrative circulation for implementation.

Competition law exemption for government notified banking companies allows temporary relief from cartel and abuse prohibitions.
A statutory notification under section 54(a) of the Competition Act, 2002 exempts banking companies notified under section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 from the application of sections 5 and 6 of the Competition Act in the public interest for a limited period from the date of publication, removing those banks from scrutiny under the prohibitions on anti competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position during that period.

Exchange recognition renewed subject to compliance with SEBI regulatory requirements and any additional conditions imposed.
Renewal of recognition is granted to Jaipur Stock Exchange Limited under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act for contracts in securities for a one year period commencing 9 January 2013 and ending 8 January 2014, subject to the condition that the Exchange commence trading only after complying with all regulatory requirements imposed by the securities regulator and to any additional conditions prescribed by the regulator.

Regulations commencement: SEBI SRO rules now apply to mutual fund and portfolio manager distributors, defining applicability.
The notification appoints its date of issuance as the date on which the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Self Regulatory Organizations) Regulations, 2004 shall come into force in relation to distributors engaged by asset management companies of mutual funds and distributors engaged by portfolio managers, under the power of sub regulation (2) of regulation 1.

Industrial Park Notification: Ganesh Housing's park notified for tax benefits subject to infrastructure, unit and compliance conditions.
Notification under clause (iii) of sub-section (4) of section 80-IA notifies M/s. Ganesh Housing Corporation Ltd.'s undertaking as an industrial park for tax-benefit purposes subject to annexure conditions including park identification, industrial activity, allocable area percentages, minimum units, investment and infrastructure thresholds, a requirement that tax benefits apply only after the prescribed number of units are located, infrastructure definitions and minimum expenditure rules, occupancy restrictions for single units, requisite statutory approvals, transfer-intimation obligations, commencement deadlines, and invalidity and withdrawal consequences for misinformation or non-compliance.

Deeming distributor as intermediary expands intermediary coverage and aligns distributor and issuer definitions with related regulations.
Amendments to the SEBI (Self Regulatory Organizations) Regulations, 2004 add cross-references importing the definitions of distributor and issuer from related SEBI certification and intermediaries regulations, substitute the intermediary definition to align with the Intermediaries Regulations, and insert a proviso deeming a distributor to be an intermediary; the Board may notify staggered commencement dates for different classes of intermediaries.

Extension of ITR-V filing deadline under CPR Scheme extends time for electronic returns to address taxpayer hardship.
The Director General, under the Centralized Processing of Returns Scheme, 2011, extends time limits for filing ITR-V forms for specified assessment years for electronically filed returns without digital signature; for one category the deadline is extended to a date in February, and for returns where the 120 day period had elapsed the filing period is extended up to a date in March or 120 days from electronic upload, whichever is later, to mitigate taxpayer hardship.

Safeguard duty imposed on imports of 304 grade stainless steel from China to address market disruption for a limited period.
The Central Government, acting on the Director General (Safeguard)'s preliminary findings that increased imports of Hot Rolled Flat Products of Stainless Steel - 304 grade and related austenitic grades caused and threatened market disruption to domestic industry, has imposed a provisional safeguard duty on those goods when imported from the People's Republic of China. The measure, taken under the Customs Tariff Act and the Transitional Product Specific Safeguard Duty Rules, applies to specified tariff items in the First Schedule and remains effective for a limited short-term period from publication unless earlier revoked or amended.

Appointment of Authority under Prevention of Money Laundering Act designates Additional Director (Prosecution) as enforcement authority.
The Central Government, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, designates the Additional Director (Prosecution) in the Directorate of Enforcement as an Authority for purposes of the Act, with the appointment taking effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.

Submission of Form T-2: implementation made effective from 1 February after partial modification of prior notifications.
The Commissioner of Value Added Tax, exercising powers under the Delhi Value Added Tax Act, directs that notifications concerning submission of information in Form T-2 are partially modified so that submission requirements shall come into force with effect from 01 February 2013, and circulates the notification for departmental publication, web upload and wider dissemination to relevant officials and bodies.