Export duty on iron ore now applies irrespective of iron content; iron ore fines excluded by amendment.
An amendment to Notification No.79/2008-Customs substitutes the wording for the commodity entry so that the export tariff provision for "iron ores and concentrates, all sorts" is replaced by "iron ores and concentrates, all sorts (except iron ore fines)," thereby excluding iron ore fines from the scope of that notification under powers exercised pursuant to section 25(1) of the Customs Act, 1962.

Customs exemption for iron ore fines: export duty limited to an ad valorem rate; later rescinded by subsequent notification.
The Central Government exempted iron ore fines under Heading No. 11 of the Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act from customs duty in excess of an ad valorem charge, substituting the prior per tonne levy with an ad valorem rate by notification; that exemption was later rescinded by a subsequent notification.

Tariff value amendment under Customs Act updates import valuation, adding explicit entries for poppy seeds and brass scrap.
Amendment of tariff values under the Customs Act, 1962 by exercise of powers conferred by section 14(2): Notification No.116/2008 substitutes the Table in Notification No.36/2001-Cus (N.T.) to replace the existing tariff-value schedule with a new table specifying revised tariff values for listed goods, including explicit entries for Brass Scrap (all grades) and Poppy seeds, thereby updating benchmark US dollar per metric tonne values used for customs import valuation.

Export tariff exemption: substitution of 'nil' rates for specified customs entries, extending duty-free export treatment.
The notification dated 31 October 2008 amends Notification No. 66/2008 by substituting the entry "nil" in column (4) of the tariff table against S. Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, thereby providing duty-free export treatment for the specified items under powers conferred by section 25(1) of the Customs Act, 1962.

Anti-dumping duty on phenol continued to prevent injury to domestic industry; definitive duties imposed on imports from specified countries.
Definitive anti-dumping duties on phenol from Singapore, South Africa and the European Union are imposed to remove injury to the domestic industry following a review which found dumped imports and likely recurrence of injury. The notification prescribes differential duty rates by origin, export routing and specified producers/exporters, expressed in foreign currency per metric tonne, effective for five years and payable in Indian currency. The applicable rate of exchange is that notified under the Customs Act, with the relevant date for exchange determination being the date of presentation of the bill of entry.

Duty concession on imports extended to Least Developed Countries: inclusion of Uganda, Rwanda and Madagascar under amended notification.
The Central Government amended Notification No.96/2008 to insert three additional entries in the Schedule, thereby extending a duty concession on specified imports to Uganda, the Republic of Rwanda and Madagascar; the change is effected by an administrative notification issued by the Department of Revenue.

Acquisition of voting rights permitted without public announcement subject to open market purchase and overall ownership cap.
An acquirer, alone or with persons acting in concert, may acquire additional shares or voting rights without a public announcement if the acquisition is by open market purchase in the normal segment (not by bulk/block/negotiated deal or preferential allotment) or results from a buyback, provided the post acquisition shareholding together with persons acting in concert does not exceed the prescribed overall ownership ceiling.

Foreign Institutional Investors regulation amendment removes specified sub regulations and an explanatory clause, effective on publication.
SEBI's 2008 amendment takes effect on publication and alters the Foreign Institutional Investors Regulations, 1995 by amending Regulation 15A: omitting sub regulations (3), (4), (5) and (7), and deleting clause (ii) of Explanation I to Regulation 15A.

Foreign Trade Policy amendment revises import reference in policy paragraph, affecting export-linked import treatment under FTP.
The Foreign Trade Policy amendment replaces the phrase 'Chapter 4 of this Policy for import of Agriculture Inputs' with 'Chapter 4 of FTP for import of Inputs' in the identified policy paragraph across RE versions, thereby broadening the import reference from agriculture-specific inputs to general inputs; the amendment is effective for exports made from the stated retrospective date and is issued under the Act and the FTP enabling paragraph as a public interest notification.

EPCG Scheme coverage for Common Service Providers, with user-specific export obligations and enforceable bank guarantees.
The EPCG Scheme is extended to cover service providers designated or certified as Common Service Providers, subject to conditions: the EPCG licence must endorse the users and their apportioned Export Obligation; exports via the CSP will not count towards other specific export obligations; and each user (besides the CSP) must furnish a bank guarantee equal to their apportioned duty foregone, enforceable on non-fulfilment.

Exchange Rate Determination sets official currency conversion rates for import and export valuation under Customs Act.
Determination under section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 prescribing official rupee conversion rates for specified foreign currencies for valuation of imported and exported goods, effective 1st November, 2008, set out in two schedules distinguishing import and export rates, and superseding the earlier notification of 26th September, 2008.

Development Commissioner appointment for a specified SEZ establishes reporting obligations and subordination to Department of Commerce and Board instructions.
The Director, Software Technology Parks of India, Noida is appointed Development Commissioner for the IVR Prime IT SEZ (Plot No. 5, Sector-144, Noida), a ten-hectare IT/ITES SEZ. The Development Commissioner must comply with instructions of the Central Government, Department of Commerce and the Board of Approval on Special Economic Zones, submit periodic reports as prescribed, and is responsible to the Department of Commerce for actions taken; personal service matters remain governed by the Department of Information Technology/Software Technology Parks of India.

Special Economic Zone designation enables development of an IT/ITeS park at MIDC Butibori under SEZ approval and notification.
The Central Government, satisfied that statutory prerequisites were fulfilled following a proposal by M/s. Suyog Realtors Private Limited and issuance of a letter of approval, notifies Plot Nos. 1 4 (PL 23) at Rengapur, Butibori (area 1717.189 hectares) as a sector specific Special Economic Zone for the information technology and information technology enabled services sector, under the powers conferred by the SEZ Act and the Special Economic Zones Rules.

Inland Container Depot designation enables an IT/ITES Special Economic Zone to be treated as ICD under the Customs Act.
The Central Government, exercising powers under sub section (2) of section 53 of the Special Economic Zones Act, appointed the specified date by which the information technology and information technology enabled services Special Economic Zone at Plot No. 5, Sector -144, Noida developed by M/s IVR Prime IT SEZ Private Limited shall be deemed to be an Inland Container Depot under section 7 of the Customs Act, 1962.

Approval Committee for IT/ITES Special Economic Zone constituted with specified ex officio members and developer representative invited.
Constitutes an Approval Committee for the IT and ITES Special Economic Zone at Plot No. 5, Sector-144, Noida under the Special Economic Zone Act, listing the Committee's purpose and membership: Chairperson is the Development Commissioner (ex officio); ex officio members are a Ministry of Commerce nominee, Zonal Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Commissioner of Customs (Airport) or nominee, Commissioner of Income Tax or nominee, Director (Banking) in the Ministry of Finance, CEO/MD of the State Industrial Development Authority, and State Secretary (Industry); the developer's representative is a special invitee.

Inland Container Depot designation makes Pocharam IT sector SEZ deemed under customs law, enabling customs regulation.
The Central Government has appointed a date from which the sector specific Special Economic Zone for the information technology sector at Pocharam Village proposed by M/s. Infosys Technology Limited shall be deemed to be an Inland Container Depot under the Customs Act, 1962, thereby subjecting the SEZ to the legal status and regulatory framework applicable to inland container depots for customs purposes.

Approval Committee for sector specific SEZ constituted, defining membership, ex officio roles and a developer special invitee.
Constitutes an Approval Committee for the sector specific Special Economic Zone for information technology at Pocharam Village under statutory authority, naming M/s. Infosys Technology Limited as developer and specifying the Committee's membership: Development Commissioner as Chairperson (ex officio); Department of Commerce nominee; Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Hyderabad; territorial Commissioners of Customs or Central Excise and Income Tax or their nominees; Director (Banking), Ministry of Finance; two State nominated officers of Andhra Pradesh; and the developer's representative as Special Invitee.

Special Economic Zone designation for an IT sector enclave establishes notified land parcels for development and operation under SEZ framework.
Notification declares specified land parcels at Pocharam Village as a Special Economic Zone for the information technology sector, relying on a prior letter of approval for development, operation and maintenance and listing the survey numbers and a total area of sixty point nine four hectares.

Development Commissioner appointment directs Director, Software Technology Parks to administer SEZ and report to Department of Commerce.
The Director, Software Technology Parks of India, Navi Mumbai is appointed as Development Commissioner for the SEZ developed by Suyog Realtors Private Limited and must administer the SEZ under directions of the Central Government, Department of Commerce and the Board of Approval on Special Economic Zones, submit prescribed periodic reports, and remain responsible to the Department of Commerce for actions taken; personal service matters are governed by the Department of Information Technology or Software Technology Parks of India.

Inland Container Depot designation confers customs classification on a sector-specific IT/ITES Special Economic Zone, enabling regulatory effect.
The Central Government appoints a commencement date for the sector-specific Special Economic Zone for the information technology and information technology enabled services sector proposed by M/s. Suyog Realtors Private Limited at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation Industrial Area, Butibori, Village Rengapur, Taluka Nagpur, District Nagpur, and declares that the SEZ shall be deemed to be an Inland Container Depot for the purposes of the Customs Act, 1962, effecting its regulatory classification under customs law.