BILL OF ENTRY – ITS

JOURNEY AND OTHER

ASPECTS
ROHIT ANAND
 FILING OF IGM

• SECTION 30. Delivery of import manifest or import report. – [(1) The person-in-charge of -
• (i) a vessel; or
• (ii) an aircraft; or
• (iii) a vehicle,
• carrying imported goods or any other person as may be specified by the Central Government, by notification in
the Official Gazette, in this behalf shall, in the case of a vessel or an aircraft, deliver to the proper officer an
import manifest prior to the arrival of the vessel or the aircraft, as the case may be, and in the case of a vehicle,
an import report within twelve hours after its arrival in the customs station, in the prescribed form and if the
import manifest or the import report or any part thereof, is not delivered to the proper officer within the time
specified in this sub-section and if the proper officer is satisfied that there was no sufficient cause for such delay,
the person-in-charge or any other person referred to in this sub-section, who caused such delay, shall be liable to
a penalty not exceeding fifty thousand rupees.]
• (2) The person delivering the import manifest or import report shall at the foot thereof make and subscribe to
a declaration as to the truth of its contents.
• (3) If the proper officer is satisfied that the import manifest or import report is in any way incorrect or
incomplete, and that there was no fraudulent intention, he may permit it to be amended or supplemented.
 FILING OF B/E
• SECTION 46. Entry of goods on importation. - (1) The importer of any goods, other than goods intended for transit or transhipment, shall make entry
thereof by presenting 3[electronically] to the proper officer a bill of entry for home consumption or warehousing in the prescribed form :
• 4[Provided that the 1[Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs] may, in cases where it is not feasible to make entry by presenting

electronically, allow an entry to be presented in any other manner:

• Provided further that] if the importer makes and subscribes to a declaration before the proper officer, to the effect that he is unable for want of full
information to furnish all the particulars of the goods required under this sub-section, the proper officer may, pending the production of such information,
permit him, previous to the entry thereof (a) to examine the goods in the presence of an officer of customs, or (b) to deposit the goods in a public warehouse
appointed under section 57 without warehousing the same.
• (2) Save as otherwise permitted by the proper officer, a bill of entry shall include all the goods mentioned in the bill of lading or other receipt given by the
carrier to the consignor.
• 5[(3) The importer shall present the bill of entry under sub-section (1) before the end of the next day following the day (excluding holidays) on which the
aircraft or vessel or vehicle carrying the goods arrives at a customs station at which such goods are to be cleared for home consumption or warehousing:
• Provided that a bill of entry may be presented within thirty days of the expected arrival of the aircraft or vessel or vehicle by which the goods have been
shipped for importation into India:
• Provided further that where the bill of entry is not presented within the time so specified and the proper officer is satisfied that there was no sufficient cause
for such delay, the importer shall pay such charges for late presentation of the bill of entry as may be prescribed.]
• (4) The importer while presenting a bill of entry shall 6[* * *] make and subscribe to a declaration as to the truth of the contents of such bill of
entry and shall, in support of such declaration, produce to the proper officer the invoice, if any, relating to the imported goods.
• (5) If the proper officer is satisfied that the interests of revenue are not prejudicially affected and that there was no fraudulent intention, he may permit
substitution of a bill of entry for home consumption for a bill of entry for warehousing or vice versa.
 CLEARANCE OF GOODS

• SECTION 47. Clearance of goods for home consumption. –7[(1)] Where the proper officer is satisfied that any goods entered for home consumption are
not prohibited goods and the importer has paid the import duty, if any, assessed thereon and any charges payable under this Act in respect of the same, the proper
officer may make an order permitting clearance of the goods for home consumption:
• 8[Provided that the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, permit certain class of importers to make deferred payment of said duty or

any charges in such manner as may be provided by rules.]

• 9[(2) 10[The importer shall pay the import duty—

• (a) on the date of presentation of the bill of entry in the case of self assessment; or
• (b) within one day (excluding holidays) from the date on which the bill of entry is returned to him by the proper officer for payment of duty in the case of
assessment, reassessment or provisional assessment; or
• (c) in the case of deferred payment under the proviso to sub-section (1), from such due date as may be specified by rules made in this behalf,
• and if he fails to pay the duty within the time so specified, he shall pay interest on the duty not paid or short-paid till the date of its payment, at such rate, not less
than ten per cent. but not exceeding thirty-six per cent. per annum, as may be fixed by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette.]
• 11[Provided that the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify the class or classes of importers who shall pay such duty

electronically:
• Provided further that] where the bill of entry is returned for payment of duty before the commencement of the Customs (Amendment) Act, 1991 and the
importer has not paid such duty before such commencement, the date of return of such bill of entry to him shall be deemed to be the date of such commencement
for the purpose of this section :]
• 12[ 13[Provided also that] if the Board is satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, it may, by order for reasons to be recorded, waive the whole or

part of any interest payable under this section.]

 WAREHOUSING
• SECTION 59. Warehousing bond. - [(1) The importer of any goods specified in [* * *] sub-section (1) of section 61,
which have been entered for warehousing and assessed to duty under section 17 or section 18 shall execute a bond binding
himself in a sum equal to twice the amount of the duty assessed on such goods —
(a) to observe all the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations in respect of such goods;
(b) to pay on or before a date specified in a notice of demand, —
(i) all duties, and interest, if any, payable under sub-section (2) of section 61;
(ii) rent and charges claimable on account of such goods under this Act, together with interest on the same from the date
so specified [at such rate not below eighteen per cent. and not exceeding thirty-six per cent. per annum, as is for the
time being fixed by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette]; and
(c) to discharge all penalties incurred for violation of the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations in respect of such
goods.]
• (2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the [Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs] may
permit an importer to enter into a general bond in such amount as the [Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy
Commissioner of Customs] may approve in respect of the warehousing of goods to be imported by him within a specified
period.
• (3) A bond executed under this section by an importer in respect of any goods shall continue in force notwithstanding the
transfer of the goods to any other person or the removal of the goods to another warehouse :
• Provided that where the whole of the goods or any part thereof are transferred to another person, the proper officer may
accept a fresh bond from the transferee in a sum equal to twice the amount of duty assessed on the goods transferred and
thereupon the bond executed by the transferor shall be enforceable only for a sum mentioned therein less the amount for which
a fresh bond is accepted from the transferee.
 MAIN PROCESSES DURING CLEARANCE

• Assessment of duty on imported goods.

• Payment of Duty.
• Examination of the goods.
• Out of charge of the goods.
 ASSESSMENT

• 11 [SECTION 17. Assessment of duty. –(1) An importer entering any imported goods under section 46, or an exporter entering any export goods
under section 50, shall, save as otherwise provided in section 85, self-assess the duty, if any, leviable on such goods.
• (2) The proper officer may verify the self-assessment of such goods and for this purpose, examine or test any imported goods or export goods or such
part thereof as may be necessary.
• 12[(3) For verification of self-assessment under sub-section (2), the proper officer may require the importer, exporter or any other person to produce

any document or information, whereby the duty leviable on the imported goods or export goods, as the case may be, can be ascertained and
thereupon, the importer, exporter or such other person shall produce such document or furnish such information.]
• (4) Where it is found on verification, examination or testing of the goods or otherwise that the self- assessment is not done correctly, the proper
officer may, without prejudice to any other action which may be taken under this Act, re-assess the duty leviable on such goods.
• (5) Where any re-assessment done under sub-section (4) is contrary to the self-assessment done by the importer or exporter regarding valuation of
goods, classification, exemption or concessions of duty availed consequent to any notification issued therefor under this Act and in cases other than
those where the importer or exporter, as the case may be, confirms his acceptance of the said re- assessment in writing, the proper officer shall pass a
speaking order on the re-assessment, within fifteen days from the date of re-assessment of the bill of entry or the shipping bill, as the case may be.
• (6) Where re-assessment has not been done or a speaking order has not been passed on re- assessment, the proper officer may audit the assessment
of duty of the imported goods or export goods at his office or at the premises of the importer or exporter, as may be expedient, in such manner as
may be prescribed.
 KEY CONCERNS DURING ASSESSMENT

• Classification of the goods as per the Customs tariff act 1975 read with
the general rule for interpretation
• Importability of the goods as per Exim policy read with H.O.P vol-1
• A- Free (OGL)- with condition or otherwise
• B- Restricted
• C- Prohibited
 RATE OF DUTY

• SECTION 15. Date for determination of rate of duty and tariff valuation of
imported goods. – (1) [The rate of duty * * *] and tariff valuation, if any, applicable to
any imported goods, shall be the rate and valuation in force, -
• (a) in the case of goods entered for home consumption under section 46, on the date
on which a bill of entry in respect of such goods is presented under that section;
• (b) in the case of goods cleared from a warehouse under section 68, on the date on
which [a bill of entry for home consumption in respect of such goods is presented under
that section];
• (c) in the case of any other goods, on the date of payment of duty :
• [Provided that if a bill of entry has been presented before the date of entry inwards of
the vessel or the arrival of the aircraft by which the goods are imported, the bill of entry
shall be deemed to have been presented on the date of such entry inwards or the arrival,
as the case may be.]
• (2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to baggage and goods imported by
post.
 APPLICATION OF EXEMPTION NOTIFICATION

• A. General Exemption
• B. Ad-hoc Exemption
• Duty rates prescribed under an exemption notification will override the
duty rates prescribed under the first schedule of the Customs Tariff.
• The exemption notification has to be claimed by the importer and its
eligibility has to be strictly analysed by the officers before its grant.
 VALUATION OF GOODS

• SECTION 14. Valuation of goods. — (1) For the purposes of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975), or
any other law for the time being in force, the value of the imported goods and export goods shall be the transaction
value of such goods, that is to say, the price actually paid or payable for the goods when sold for export to India for
delivery at the time and place of importation, or as the case may be, for export from India for delivery at the time
and place of exportation, where the buyer and seller of the goods are not related and price is the sole consideration
for the sale subject to such other conditions as may be specified in the rules made in this behalf :
• Provided that such transaction value in the case of imported goods shall include, in addition to the price as
aforesaid, any amount paid or payable for costs and services, including commissions and brokerage, engineering,
design work, royalties and licence fees, costs of transportation to the place of importation, insurance, loading,
unloading and handling charges to the extent and in the manner specified in the rules made in this behalf :
• Provided further that the rules made in this behalf may provide for,-
• (i) the circumstances in which the buyer and the seller shall be deemed to be related;
• (ii) the manner of determination of value in respect of goods when there is no sale, or the buyer and the seller
are related, or price is not the sole consideration for the sale or in any other case;
• (iii) the manner of acceptance or rejection of value declared by the importer or exporter, as the case may be,
where the proper officer has reason to doubt the truth or accuracy of such value, and determination of value for the
purposes of this section :
 VALUATION OF GOODS CONTINUED…

• Provided also that such price shall be calculated with reference to the rate of exchange as in force on the
date on which a bill of entry is presented under section 46, or a shipping bill of export, as the case may be, is
presented under section 50.
• (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), if the Board is satisfied that it is necessary or
expedient so to do, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, fix tariff values for any class of imported
goods or export goods, having regard to the trend of value of such or like goods, and where any such tariff
values are fixed, the duty shall be chargeable with reference to such tariff value.
• Explanation. — For the purposes of this section —
• (a) “rate of exchange” means the rate of exchange —
• (i) determined by the Board, or
• (ii) ascertained in such manner as the Board may direct, for the conversion of Indian currency into foreign
currency or foreign currency into Indian currency;
• (b) “foreign currency” and ‘‘Indian currency” have the meanings respectively assigned to them in clause
(m) and clause (q) of section 2 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999).]
• Section 14 has to be read with Customs valuation Rule 2007 to arrive at the proper value
 GOODS CONSIST OF VARIOUS ARTICLES

• SECTION 19. Determination of duty where goods consist of articles liable to different rates of
duty. – Except as otherwise provided in any law for the time being in force, where goods consist of a set of
articles, duty shall be calculated as follows :-
• (a) articles liable to duty with reference to quantity shall be chargeable to that duty;
• (b) articles liable to duty with reference to value shall, if they are liable to duty at the same rate, be chargeable to
duty at that rate, and if they are liable to duty at different rates, be chargeable to duty at the highest of such rates;
• (c) articles not liable to duty shall be chargeable to duty at the rate at which articles liable to duty with
reference to value are liable under clause (b) :
• Provided that, -
• (a) accessories of, and spare parts or maintenance and repairing implements for, any article which satisfy the
conditions specified in the rules made in this behalf shall be chargeable at the same rate of duty as that article;
• (b) if the importer produces evidence to the satisfaction of the proper officer regarding the value of any of the
articles liable to different rates of duty, such article shall be chargeable to duty separately at the rate applicable to
it.
 PROVISIONAL ASSESSMENT

• SECTION 18. Provisional assessment of duty. – (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act
but without prejudice to the provisions contained in section 46 -
• (a) where the proper officer is satisfied that an importer or exporter is unable to produce any document
or furnish any information necessary for the assessment of duty on the imported goods or the export
goods, as the case may be; or
• (b) where the proper officer deems it necessary to subject any imported goods or export goods to any
chemical or other test for the purpose of assessment of duty thereon; or
• (c) where the importer or the exporter has produced all the necessary documents and furnished full
information for the assessment of duty but the proper officer deems it necessary to make further enquiry
for assessing the duty,
• the proper officer may direct that the duty leviable on such goods may, pending the production of such
documents or furnishing of such information or completion of such test or enquiry, be assessed
provisionally if the importer or the exporter, as the case may be, furnishes such security as the proper
officer deems fit for the payment of the deficiency, if any, between the duty finally assessed and the duty
provisionally assessed.
 PROVISIONAL ASSESSMENT CONTINUED…

• (2) When the duty leviable on such goods is assessed finally in accordance with the provisions of this Act, then -
• (a) in the case of goods cleared for home consumption or exportation, the amount paid shall be adjusted against
the duty finally assessed and if the amount so paid falls short of, or is in excess of [the duty finally assessed], the
importer or the exporter of the goods shall pay the deficiency or be entitled to a refund, as the case may be;
• (b) in the case of warehoused goods, the proper officer may, where the duty finally assessed is in excess of the
duty provisionally assessed, require the importer to execute a bond, binding himself in a sum equal to twice the
amount of the excess duty.
• [(3) The importer or exporter shall be liable to pay interest, on any amount payable to the Central Government,
consequent to the final assessment order under sub-section (2), at the rate fixed by the Central Government under
section 28AB from the first day of the month in which the duty is provisionally assessed till the date of payment
thereof.
• (4) Subject the sub-section (5), if any refundable amount referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2) is not
refunded under that sub-section within three months from the date of assessment of duty finally, there shall be paid
an interest on such unrefunded amount at such rate fixed by the Central Government under section 27A till the
date of refund of such amount.
 ASSESSABLE VALUE

• Free on Board Value

• Freight
• Insurance
• Technical know how, if applicable
• Loading charges
THANK YOU