Creation of a Centralized CHA Directory - regarding - Customs - 121/2005

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS C.R. BUILDING : QUEENS ROAD POST BOX NO 5400, BANGALORE-1 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 121/2005 Date: 23.09.2005 Sub: Creation of a Centralized CHA Directory - regarding 1. The Custom House Agents and all concerned are requested to take note that following the notification of the Custom House Agents Licensing Regulations 2004, CHAs who are registered at one custom house have been permitted to operate at all other Customs Houses. Presently, CHAs are required to register their particulars in the directories of the Indian Customs EDI System (ICES) in each of the custom houses where they intend to operate and also to intimate the Custom House regarding their intention to commence operations. To eliminate the need for the CHA to register at each ICES location separately, a central facility is being created whereby the centralized directory of CHAs will be maintained by the CHA Section of the License issuing Custom House. Once this directory is created, if the CHA desires to begin operations at a Customs location for the first time, he will only have to intimate in writing to the concerned Commissioner of Customs in terms of Regulation 9 (2) of the CHA LR, 2004. 2. For the creation of a centralized directory of the CHAs, data related to Custom House Agents (CHA) being maintained in the directories of the ICES is undergoing verification and validation, with a view to eliminating the duplicate entries, errors(if any) and updating of names, addresses and other particulars of the CHAs. 3. Presently, registration numbers being issued to CHAs by the Custom Houses are not unique and therefore, there is a possibility of duplication in the registration numbers. Most CHAs have not provided the data for the Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by the Income tax Department. It has been decided to make the PAN number as the unique identifier and will be used as the CHA Code. The Business Identification Number issued to the CHA will be in the following manner: XXXXX XXXXX CH 001 PAN NUMBER Indicating that the party is a Custom House Agent Branch Serial Number 4. The following procedure will be followed for the updation of the CHA registration: (1) A facility will be created at the Service Centre of the ACC, Bangalore for getting registration particulars entered (in respect of CHA to whom licences have been issued by Bangalore Customs Commissionerate). The CHA is required to submit the particulars to the Service Centre in the prescribed format as per Annex I enclosed herewith. The CHA is required to provide copies of 1. A self-attested copy of the PAN card and License. 2. CHA registration particulars in ICES. (CHAs can obtain the registration information in ICES from the enquiry counters of the Service Center at the ACC, Bangalore Customs Commissionerate). (2) The Service Center operator, after entering the particulars, would provide a checklist for verification by the CHA s representative. The CHA must verify the particulars and in case of any error detected on the checklist, the CHA must get information corrected and return the signed checklist to the Service Centre for submission to the CHA Section at the Commissionerate Hqrs, for verification. (3) The Officer of the CHA Section at the Commissionerate Hqrs, shall verify the particulars entered, with the documents submitted and also with the records available with the Section. The officer shall update the information, wherever required. (4) On completion of verification by CHA Section, the latest PAN based CHA directory for the Commissionerate will be loaded on a Central Server. This information will be replicated at all ICES locations. 5. The database update will be done of the CHA directories at all ICES locations and replicated in all ICES Locations by October 15 h 2005. CHAs, who have not got their registrations updated in the manner specified above, will not be able to operate in the Custom House using their earlier registration numbers, since after a specified date, PAN shall be the only identifier. 6. It has also been decided that CMC will charge ₹ 30 per Form for this purpose. 7. The CHA Association is requested to give wide publicity to this Notice and work towards the timely completion of the above exercise. 8. For any difficulty in this regard, the CHAs may contact Additional Commissioner (Tech) at 2286 0672 or Joint Commissioner (ACC) at 2522 6585. Encl : Annexure - I Sd/- (P.R. CHANDRASEKHARAN) Commissioner of Customs Bangalore