MASTER CIRCULAR ON COMPOUNDING OF CONTRAVENTIONS UNDER FEMA, 1999
MASTER CIRCULAR NO. 8/2011-12, DATED 1-7-2011
The compounding of contraventions under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 is a voluntary process by which an applicant can seek compounding of an admitted contravention of any provision of FEMA, 1999 under Section 13(1) of the FEMA, 1999.
2. This Master Circular consolidates the existing instructions on the subject of “Compounding of Contraventions under FEMA, 1999” at one place. The list of underlying circulars/notifications, consolidated in this Master Circular, is furnished in the Appendix.
3. This Master Circular is being issued with a sunset clause of one year. This circular will stand withdrawn on July 1, 2012 and be replaced by an updated Master Circular on the subject.
1. General
1.1 If any person contravenes any provision of FEMA, 1999, or contravenes any rule, regulation, notification, direction or order issued in exercise of the powers under this Act, or contravenes any condition subject to which an authorization is issued by the Reserve Bank, he shall, upon adjudication, be liable to a penalty up to thrice the sum involved in such contravention where the amount is quantifiable or up to Rupees Two lakh, where the amount is not quantifiable and where the contravention is a continuing one, further penalty which may extend to Rupees Five thousand for every day after the first day during which the contravention continues (Section 13(1), Chapter IV of FEMA, 1999). In terms of rule 4 of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000, the powers to compound the contraventions have been prescribed for compounding authorities with regard to the sum involved in such contravention and no contravention shall be compounded unless the amount involved in the contravention is quantifiable.
1.2 Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 have been framed and published by the Government of India empowering the Reserve Bank to compound contraventions under FEMA, 1999. The provisions of Section 15 of FEMA, 1999 permit compounding of contraventions and empower the Compounding Authority to compound any contravention as defined under section 13 of the Act on an application made by the person committing such contravention either before or after the institution of adjudication proceedings.
1.3 The Government of India has, in consultation with the Reserve Bank placed the responsibility of administering compounding of contraventions with the Reserve Bank, except contraventions under section 3(a) of FEMA, 1999. Accordingly, the procedure for compounding of contraventions under FEMA, 1999 has been framed with a view to provide comfort to the citizens and corporate community by minimizing transaction costs, while taking severe view of wilful, mala fide and fraudulent transactions.
2. Compounding Powers
2.1 The compounding powers of the Reserve Bank and the Directorate of Enforcement (DoE), respectively, are as under:
(a) Reserve Bank has been empowered to compound the contraventions of all the sections of FEMA, 1999, except clause (a) of section 3 of the Act, ibid.
(b) Directorate of Enforcement would exercise powers of compounding under clause (a) of section 3 of FEMA, 1999 (dealing essentially with Hawala transactions).
2.2 For effective implementation of compounding process under FEMA, 1999, the Reserve Bank has framed the procedure for compounding of contraventions. Once a contravention has been compounded by the Compounding Authority, no proceeding or further proceeding will be initiated or continued, as the case may be, against the contravener.
3. Process of Compounding
3.1 An application for compounding of a contravention under FEMA, 1999 may be submitted to the Compounding Authority (CA) on being advised of a contravention under FEMA, 1999, either through a memorandum or suo motu on being made or on becoming aware of the contravention. The format of the application is appended to the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 (Annex).
3.2 The application for compounding any contravention in prescribed form together with a copy of the memorandum, wherever applicable, with the prescribed fee of Rs. 5000 by way of a demand draft drawn in favour of “Reserve Bank of India” and payable at Mumbai may be submitted with relevant facts and supporting documents to: The Compounding Authority, [Cell for Effective implementation of FEMA (CEFA)], Foreign Exchange Department, 5th Floor, Amar Building, Sir P.M. Road, Fort, Mumbai- 400001.
3.3 On receipt of the application for compounding, the proceedings would be concluded and order issued by the CA within 180 days from the date of the receipt of the application for compounding. The time limit for this purpose would be reckoned from the date of receipt of the completed application for compounding by the Reserve Bank. The CA may call for any information, record or any other documents relevant to the compounding proceedings and will hold the proceedings. The Compounding Order will be passed by the CA after affording the contravener and others concerned, an opportunity of being heard.
3.4 The application will be examined based on the documents and submissions made in the application, in terms of sub-rule (1) of rule (4) of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 and assess whether the contravention is compoundable and if so, the amount of contravention is accordingly quantified.
3.5 The nature of contravention is ascertained keeping in view, inter alia, the following indicative points :
a. whether the contravention is technical and/or minor in nature and needs only an administrative cautionary advice;
b. whether the contravention is serious in nature and warrants compounding of the contravention; and
c. whether the contravention, prima facie, involves money-laundering, national and security concerns involving serious infringement of the regulatory framework.
However, the Reserve Bank reserves the right to classify the contraventions as stated above and neither the contravener nor others have any right to classify any contravention as technical suo motu.
3.6 The disposal of the compounding application is made by issue of a Compounding Order specifying the provisions of FEMA,1999 or any rule, regulation, notification, direction or order issued in exercise of the powers under FEMA, 1999, in respect of which contravention has taken place.
3.7 The CA may call for any additional information, record or any other document relevant to the compounding proceedings. Such additional information/documents are required to be submitted within the period as may be specified by the CA and the application may be rejected if such information/documents are not submitted within the prescribed time.
3.8 Where there is sufficient cause for further investigation, the Reserve Bank may refer the matter to the Directorate of Enforcement for further investigation and necessary action under FEMA, 1999, as deemed fit or to the Anti- Money Laundering Authority instituted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 or to any other agencies, as deemed fit. Such applications will be disposed of by returning the application to the applicant.
4. Scope and Manner of Compounding
4.1 The CA will exercise jurisdiction in respect of the contraventions alleged to have been committed in relation to any of the provisions of the FEMA, 1999, or any rule, regulation, notification, direction or order issued in exercise of the powers under FEMA, 1999.
4.2 The CA will form an opinion on the basis of the application, together with the documents submitted and on the basis of submissions made during the personal hearing on the nature of the contravention.
4.3 The application for compounding will be disposed of on merits, upon consideration of the records and submissions and at the absolute discretion of the CA. The following factors, which are only indicative, may be taken into consideration for the purpose of passing the Compounding Order and for arriving at the quantum of sum on payment of which contravention shall be compounded:
(i) the amount of gain of unfair advantage, wherever quantifiable, made as a result of the contravention;
(ii) the amount of loss caused to any authority/agency/exchequer as a result of the contravention;
(iii) economic benefits accruing to the contravener from delayed compliance or compliance avoided;
(iv) the repetitive nature of the contravention, the track record and/or history of non-compliance of the contravener;
(v) contravener’s conduct in undertaking the transaction and disclosure of full facts in the application and submissions made during the personal hearing; and
(vi) any other factor considered relevant and appropriate.
5. Issue of the Compounding Order
5.1 An opportunity for personal hearing is given to the applicant for further submission of documents in person in support of the application within a specified period. If the contravener or its authorized representative fails to appear in person or make any submissions before the CA for personal hearing, the CA may proceed with the processing of the compounding application on the basis of information and documents available in the application for compounding.
5.2 The Compounding Authority will pass a compounding order on the basis of the averments made in the application as well as other documents and submissions made in this context by the contravener during the personal hearings, if any.
5.3 Where the compounding of any contravention is made after making of a complaint under sub-section (3) of section 16 of FEMA, 1999 as the case may be, one copy of the compounding order made under sub-rule (2) of Rule 8 of Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 will be provided to the applicant (the contravener) and also to the Adjudicating Authority.
6. Post-compounding procedure
6.1 The sum for which the contravention is compounded as specified in the order of compounding under sub-rule (2) of Rule 8 of Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 is payable by way of a demand draft in favour of the “Reserve Bank of India” within fifteen days from the date of the order of compounding of such contravention. The demand draft has to be deposited in the manner as directed in the compounding order.
6.2 The provisions of the Rules do not confer any right on the contravener, after a compounding order is passed, to seek to withdraw the order or to hold the compounding order as void or request a review of the order passed by the CA.
6.3 In case of failure to pay the sum compounded within the time specified in the compounding order, it shall be deemed in terms of Rule 10 of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000, that the contravener had never made an application for compounding of any contravention under these Rules.
6.4 On realization of the demand draft for the sum for which contravention is compounded, a certificate in this regard shall be issued by the Reserve Bank subject to the specified conditions, if any, in the order.
6.5 In respect of the contraventions of FEMA, 1999 (as defined in section 13 of the FEMA, 1999), which are not compounded by the Compounding Authority, other relevant provisions of FEMA, 1999, shall apply.
7. Pre-requisites for compounding process
7.1 In respect of a contravention committed by any person within a period of three years from the date on which a similar contravention committed by him was compounded under the Compounding Rules, such contraventions would not be compounded. Such contravention would be dealt with under relevant provisions of the FEMA, 1999 for contravention. Any second or subsequent contravention committed after the expiry of a period of three years from the date on which the contravention was previously compounded shall be deemed to be a first contravention.
7.2 Contraventions relating to any transaction where proper approvals or permission from the Government or statutory authority concerned, as the case may be, have not been obtained, such contraventions would not be compounded unless the required approvals are obtained from the authorities concerned.
7.3 Cases of contravention, such as, those having a money laundering angle, national security concern and/or involving serious infringements of the regulatory framework or where the contravener fails to pay the sum for which contravention was compounded within the specified period in terms of the compounding order, shall be referred to the Directorate of Enforcement for further investigation and necessary action under FEMA, 1999 or to the authority instituted for implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, (PMLA) or to any other agencies, for necessary action , as deemed fit.
7.4 The Reserve Bank generally advises the persons concerned of their choice and option to make an application for compounding as and when such contraventions come to its notice. The facts constituting such contraventions will be brought to the notice of the Directorate of Enforcement in case no application for compounding is made within the time indicated by the Reserve Bank.
ANNEX
FOREIGN EXCHANGE (COMPOUNDING PROCEEDINGS) RULES, 2000
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1 GSR 613(E) dated August 27, 2008
2 GSR 609 (E) dated September 13, 2004
3 GSR 443(E) dated November 2, 2002
