Regulation 22 - Procedure for suspending or revoking licence under Regulation 20 - Customs House Agents Licensing Regulations, 2004

22. Procedure for suspending or revoking licence under Regulation 20. - (1) The 6 [Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be] shall issue a notice in writing to the Customs House Agent 1 [within ninety days from the date of receipt of offence report, stating the grounds on which it is proposed to suspend or revoke the licence and requiring the said Customs House Agent to submit within thirty days], to the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs nominated by him, a written statement of defense and also to specify in the said statement whether the Customs House Agent desires to be heard in person by the said Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs. 2 [Provided that the procedure prescribed in regulation 22 shall not apply in respect of the provisions contained in sub-regulation (2) to regulation 20 .] (2) The 6 [Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be] may, on receipt of the written statement from the Customs House Agent, or where no such statement has been received within the time-limit specified in the notice referred to in sub-regulation (1), direct the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs to inquire into the grounds which are not admitted by the Customs House Agent. (3) The Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs shall, in the course of inquiry, consider such documentary evidence and take such oral evidence as may be relevant or material to the inquiry in regard to the grounds forming the basis of the proceedings, and he may also put any question to any person tendering evidence for or against the Customs House Agent, for the purpose of ascertaining the correct position. (4) The Customs House Agent shall be entitled to cross-examine the persons examined in support of the grounds forming the basis of the proceedings, and where the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs declines to examine any person on the grounds that his evidence is not relevant or material, he shall record his reasons in writing for so doing. (5) At the conclusion of the inquiry, the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs shall prepare a report of the inquiry recording 3 [his findings and submit his report within ninety days from the date of issue of a notice under sub-regulation (1)]. (6) The 6 [Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be] shall furnish to the Customs House Agent a copy of the report of the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs, and shall require the Customs House Agent to submit, within the specified period not being less than 4 [thirty days], any representation that he may wish to make against the findings of the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs. (7) The 6 [Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be] shall, after considering the report of the inquiry and the representation thereon, if any, made by the Customs House Agent, pass such orders 5 [as he deems fit within ninety days from the date of submission of the report by the Deputy Commissioner of Customs or Assistant Commissioner of Customs, under sub-regulation (5)]. (8) Any Customs House Agent aggrieved by any decision or order passed under regulation 20 or sub-regulation (7) of regulation 22, may prefer an appeal under section 129A of the Act to the Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal established under sub-section (1) of section 129 of the Act. ******************* Notes: - 1. Substituted vide notification no. 30/2010 Cus(NT) dated 8/4/2010 , before it was read as, stating the grounds on which it is proposed to suspend or revoke the licence and requiring the said Customs House Agent to submit, within such time as may be specified in the notice, not being less than forty-five days 2. Inserted vide notification no. 30/2010 Cus(NT) dated 8/4/2010 3. Substituted vide notification no. 30/2010 Cus(NT) dated 8/4/2010 , before it was read as, his findings 4. Substituted vide notification no. 30/2010 Cus(NT) dated 8/4/2010 , before it was read as, sixty days 5. Substituted vide notification no. 30/2010 Cus(NT) dated 8/4/2010 , before it was read as, as he deems fit 6. Substituted vide Not. 56/2014 - Dated 6-8-2014