EDI fails – Customs refuses manual filing of BOE
Importers in JN Port Custom House, Mumbai have a problem. They are denied the benefit of an exemption not because they are not eligible, but because the EDI has failed them. It seems after the budget Notification NO. 75/2005 which deals with exemption to goods from Singapore got deleted from the system and when the computer says “no”, who are appraisers and Commissioners to say, “yes”? Net Result – no exemption. For the last three weeks importers are being denied the exemption and it seems the Customs authorities are not prepared to accept manual Bill Of Entry. Once the system is updated, will the importers get refund? They may – if they challenge the assessment and prove that the duty has not been passed on.
Will the Board/ DG, Systems/ Commissioner do something to help the poor importers who are punished for no fault of theirs?