CBIC clarifies arrangements for 1st phase of All India Roll-Out of Faceless Assessment [Read Circular]

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) notified that For the roll-out of Faceless Assessment across Bengaluru and Chennai Zones, the Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs, Bengaluru and Chennai Zones are required to put in place the specified arrangements in their jurisdiction.

The board issued a circular Circular No.28/2020-Customs, dated  June 5, 2020, on the launch of Phase 1 of Faceless Assessment of bills of entry for goods imported primarily under Chapters 84 and 85 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 at Bengaluru and Chennai w.e.f. 8th June 2020.

“The Faceless Assessment is being rolled out in phases and it will be implemented pan India by 31st December 2020. While these instructions are immediately relevant for Bengaluru and Chennai Zones, they would get applied to other Zones as and when these Zones are covered by Faceless Assessment,” the circular issued by the board said.

For the roll-out of Faceless Assessment across Bengaluru and Chennai Zones, the Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs, Bengaluru and Chennai Zones are required to put in place the Faceless Assessment Groups, Port Assessment Groups and Turant Suvidha Kendra arrangements in their jurisdiction.

The Board, in order to further clarify the procedural details of the Faceless Assessment scheme, specified the responsibilities of the Nodal Commissioners in relation to bills of entry dealt with by a particular Faceless Assessment Group, responsibilities of the Port of Import, the procedure for Verification of Assessment of Bill of Entry by Faceless Assessment Groups, a procedure to be Adopted by Faceless Assessment Groups and Port of Import in Exceptional Circumstances, Speaking Order, Appellate Proceedings, Review Proceedings, Demands under Section 28 of the Customs Act, 1962, Provisional Assessment, Amendment of Bills of Entry, and Exchange of communication exclusively by electronic mode and authentication of electronic records.

DG system will enable the changes for implementing Faceless Assessment in the Customs Automated System and communicate the changes by way of detailed Advisory to the concerned field formations.

“As Faceless Assessment is a major innovation it is important to ensure its smooth implementation. Therefore, feedback on the implementation may be sent to the Board to uscus4.dor@gov.in and system-related issues to team.ices@icegate.gov.in,” the circular said.