Measures to facilitate trade during the lockdown period- Section 143AA of the Customs Act, 1962- Review of Circular No. 17/2020 dt. 03.04.20 - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 17/2020

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh Chandigarh) CUSTOM HOUSE, G.T.ROAD, SAHNEWAL, LUDHIANA- 141120 C.NO. VIII-48(1)Tech/Ldh/PN/HQRS/2020/Pt. Dated: 22.04.2020 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 17/2020 Subject: Measures to facilitate trade during the lockdown period- Section 143AA of the Customs Act, 1962- Review of Circular No. 17/2020 dt. 03.04.20-reg. Kind attention of the importers, exporters, Customs Brokers and all other stakeholders is invited to this office's Public Notice No. 12/2020 dated 09.04.2020 on 'Measures to facilitate trade during the lockdown period- section 143AA of the Customs Act, 1962' wherein relaxation was given to accept an undertaking in lieu of a bond required during customs clearance upto 30.04.2020, subject to conditions as underlined in the Circular No. 17/2020 dated 03.04.2020. The said circular was issued in the context of lockdown announced by the Government for the period 25.03.2020 to 14.04.2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. 2. In the background of the recent announcement by the Government extending the lockdown till 03.05.2020 and taking into consideration that it might take sometime after the end of the lockdown for the situation to normalise, the CBIC vide Circular No. 21/2020 dated 21.04.2020 has decided to further extend the facility of accepting undertaking in lieu of bond for the period till 15.05.2020. Consequently, the date for submission of proper bond in lieu of which the undertaking is being temporarily accepted is extended till 30.05.2020. This relaxation will be reviewed by the CBIC at the end of the lockdown period. 3. Furthermore, in reference to para 3.3 (ii) of the Circular No. 17/2020 dated 03.04.2020, the undertaking in lieu of bond is to be submitted by the registered email ID of the IEC holder or their authorised Customs Broker. In addition to this requirement, but not in substitution, customs zones may prescribe uploading of the undertaking on e-Sanchit. 4. With the exception of the above, all other conditions underlined in Circular No. 17/2020 dated 03.04.2020 stand as they are. 5. Difficulty, if any, faced in implementation of the said Public Notice may be brought to the notice of the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner (Appraisement) (email address: app456-customs.ldh@gov.in, importgroup123@rediffmail.com, Phone No.: 0161-2847470). 6. Action to be taken in terms of decisions taken in this Public Notice should be considered as standing order for the purpose of officers and staff. (A.s. Ranga) Commissioner