It has been brought to the notice of this office that all the shipments containing export of bulk drugs were necessarily being sent to Drug Controller officers stationed at customs houses for attestation etc. These attestations by Drug Controller officers were insisted by the Customs authorities in all shipments involving export of drugs. Because of this procedure, shipments at those ports, where Drug Controller Officers are not stationed, are getting invariably delayed.
Circular No. 454/20/99-CX I am directed to say that certain doubts have been expressed whether upgradation of computer system by increasing the storage/processing capacity of computer system etc. will amount to manufacture under the Central Excise Act, 1944.
Circular No. 453/19/99-CX It has been brought to the notice of the Board that the Commissioners of Customs and Central Excise in the field are generally neither filling Cross Objections under Section 35B (4) of the Central Excise Act or Section 129A (4) of the Customs Act against the appeals filed by the assessees/importers in CEGAT, nor they are sending comments on such appeals – even where stakes has often to seek comments in specific cases,
Dematerialised trading in the eligible securities, by eliminating physical paper has helped in reducing the work on the clearing houses and on the Registrar to an Issue & Share Transfer Agents. This would help the market and the investors, as it is now possible to bring about a reduction in the no-delivery period during book-closure and record date.
Listing agreement entered into between companies and the stock exchanges is an important instrument for investor protection and corporate governance.
During the review of Exim Policy for the year 1999-2000, Ministry of Commerce have recommended that under DEPB Scheme, imports may be allowed to clear goods stored in a custom bonded warehouse by adjusting customs duty in a DEPB scrip. Similar facility is already available under the Advance Licensing Scheme
Circular No. 452/18/99-CX I am directed to invite reference to Board”s Circular No. 410/43/98-CX dated 30.7.98 regarding finalization of pending assessments on the basis of orders issued by Central Board of Excise and Customs under Section 37B. It was clarified that an order issued under Section 37B has only prospective effect from the date of its issue, however, demands can be raised for the last six months under section 11A of Central Excise Act, 1944.
Circular No. 451/17/99-CX I am directed to say that the trade and industry has represented that often different duty-paid excisable goods manufactured in two different units of a manufacturer/management are required to be loaded in the same conveyance for delivery to the consignee. Under the present rule 173H(3), the Chief Commissioner is empowered to give such permission.
The custodians shall be required to keep hard copies of all the current records of their own and their clients operations as on December 30, 1999 so as to ensure continuity of the operations in the event of the systems failure/breakdown.
Circular No. 450/16/99-CX The Board has been perturbed with the increasing pendency of appeals including stay petitions with commissioners (Appeals). Since as per Board”s instructions issued in June, 1998 no coercive action for recovery of duty/penalty involved in the appeal is normally to be taken by field officers till the disposal of stay petitions by the Commissioners (Appeals), delay in disposal of such stay petitions comes in the way of recovery of Government”s legitimate duties.
