The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation)
Act, 1992
[NO. 22 OF 1992]
[7th August, 1992.]
An Act to provide for the development and regulation of
foreign trade by facilitating imports into, and augmenting
exports from, India and for matters connected therewith or
incidental thereto.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-third Year of the
Republic of India as follows :-
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act
may be called the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act,
1992.
(2) Sections 11 to 14 shall come into force at once and the
remaining provisions of this Act shall be deemed to have come
into force on the 19th day of June,1992.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires, -
(a) "Adjudicating Authority" means the authority specified
in, or under, section 13;
(b) "Appellate Authority" means the authority specified in,
or under, Subsection (1) of section 15;
(c) "conveyance" means any vehicle, vessel, aircraft or any
other means of transport including any animal;
(d) "Director General" means the Director General of
Foreign Trade appointed under section 6;
(e) "import" and "export" means respectively bringing into,
or taking out of, India any goods by land, sea or air;
(f) "Importer-exporter Code Number" means the Code Number
granted under section 7;
(g) "licence" means a licence to import or export and
includes a customs clearance permit and any other permission
issued or granted under this Act;
(h) "Order" means any Order made by the Central Government
under section 3; and
(i) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this
Act.
CHAPTER II
POWER OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE ORDERS AND
ANNOUNCE EXPORT AND IMPORT POLICY
3. Powers to make provisions relating to imports
and exports. - (1) The Central Government may, by Order
published in the Official Gazette, make provision for the
development and regulation of foreign trade by facilitating
imports and increasing exports. (2) The Central
Government may also, by Order published in the Official Gazette,
make provision for prohibiting, restricting or otherwise
regulating, in all cases or in specified classes of cases and
subject to such exceptions, if any, as may be made by or under
the Order, the import or export of goods.
(3) All goods to which any Order under sub-section (2)
applies shall be deemed to be goods the import or export of which
has been prohibited under section 11 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52
of 1962) and all the provisions of that Act shall have effect
accordingly.
4. Continuance of existing Orders. - All
Orders made under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947 (18
of 1947), and in force immediately before the commencement of
this Act shall, so far as they are not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act, continue to be in force and shall be
deemed to have been made under this Act.
5. Export and import policy. - The Central
Government may, from time to time, formulate and announce, by
notification in the Official Gazette, the export and import
policy and may also, in like manner, amend that policy.
6. Appointment of Director General and his
functions.-(1) The Central Government may appoint any person to
be the Director General of Foreign Trade for the purposes of this
Act.
(2) The Director General shall advise the Central
Government in the formulation of the export and import policy and
shall be responsible for carrying out that policy.
(3) The Central Government may, by Order published in the
Official Gazette, direct that any power exercisable by it under
this Act (other than the powers under sections 3,5,15,16 and 19)
may also be exercised, in such cases and subject to such
conditions, by the Director General or such other officer
subordinate to the Director General, as may be specified in the
Order.
CHAPTER III
IMPORTER-EXPORTER CODE NUMBER AND LICENCE
7. Importer-exporter Code Number. - No
person shall make any import or export except under an
Importer-exporter Code Number granted by the Director General or
the officer authorised by the Director General in this behalf, in
accordance with the procedure specified in this behalf by the
Director General.
8. Suspension and cancellation of
Importer-exporter Code Number. - (1) Where-
(a) any person has contravened any law relating to Central
excise or customs or foreign exchange or has committed any other
economic offence under any other law for the time being in force
as may be specified by the Central Government by notification in
the Official Gazette, or
(b) the Director General has reason to believe that any
person has made an export or import in a manner gravely
prejudicial to the trade relations of India with any foreign
country or to the interests of other persons engaged in imports
or exports or has brought disrepute to the credit or the goods of
the country,
the Director General may call for the record or any other
information from that person and may, after giving to that person
a notice in writing informing him of the grounds on which it is
proposed to suspend or cancel the Importer-exporter Code Number
and giving him a reasonable opportunity of making a
representation in writing within such reasonable time
as may be specified in the notice and, if that person so desires,
of being heard, suspend for a period, as may be specified in the
order, or cancel the Importer-exporter Code Number granted to
that person.
(2) Where any Importer-exporter Code Number granted to a
person has been suspended or cancelled under sub-section (1),
that person shall not be entitled to import or export any goods
except under a special licence, granted, in such manner and
subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, by the Director
General to that person.
9. Issue, suspension and cancellation of
licence. - (1) The Central Government may levy fees,
subject to such exceptions, in respect of such person or class of
persons making an application for a licence or in respect of any
licence granted or renewed in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) The Director General or an officer authorised by him
may, on an application and after making such inquiry as he may
think fit, grant or renew or refuse to grant or renew a licence
to import or export such class or classes of goods as may be
prescribed, after recording in writing his reasons for such
refusal.
(3) A licence granted or renewed under this section shall -
(a) be in such form as may be prescribed;
(b) be valid for such period as may be specified therein;
and
(c) be subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions
as may be prescribed or as specified in the licence with
reference to the terms, conditions and restrictions so
prescribed.
(4) The Director General or the officer authorised under
sub-section (2) may, subject to such conditions as may be
prescribed, for good and sufficient reasons, to be recorded in
writing, suspend or cancel any licence granted under this Act:
Provided that no such suspension or cancellation shall be
made except after giving the holder of the licence a reasonable
opportunity of being heard.
(5) An appeal against an order refusing to grant, or renew
or suspending or cancelling, a licence shall lie in like manner
as an appeal against an order would lie under section 15.
CHAPTER IV
SEARCH, SEIZURE, PENALTY AND CONFISCATION
10. Power relating to search and seizure. -
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, authorise any person for the purposes of exercising such
powers with respect to entering such premises and searching,
inspecting and seizing of such goods, documents, things and
conveyances, subject to such requirements and conditions, as may
be prescribed.
(2) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
(2 of 1974) relating to searches and seizures shall, so far as
may be, apply to every search and seizure made under this
section.
11. Contravention of provisions of this Act,
rules, orders and export and import policy. - (1) No export
or import shall be made by any person except in accordance with
the provisions of this Act, the rules and orders made thereunder
and the export and import policy for the time being in force.
(2) Where any person makes or abets or attempts to make any
export or import in contravention of any provision of this Act or
any rules or orders made thereunder or the export and import
policy, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding one
thousand rupees or five times the value of the goods in respect
of which any contravention is made or attempted to be made,
whichever is more.
(3) Where any person, on a notice to him by the
Adjudicating Authority, admits any contravention, the
Adjudicating Authority may, in such class or classes of cases and
in such manner as may be prescribed, determine, by way of
settlement, an amount to be paid by that person.
(4) A penalty imposed under this Act may, if it is not
paid, be recovered as an arrear of land revenue and the
Importer-exporter Code Number of the person concerned, may, on
failure to pay the penalty by him, be suspended by the
Adjudicating Authority till the penalty is paid.
(5) Where any contravention of any provision of this Act or
any rules or orders made thereunder or the export and import
policy has been, is being, or is attempted to be, made, the goods
together with any package, covering or receptacle and any
conveyances shall, subject to such requirements and conditions as
may be prescribed, be liable to confiscation by the Adjudicating
Authority.
(6) The goods or the conveyance confiscated under
sub-section (5) may be released by the Adjudicating Authority, in
such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed,
on payment by the person concerned of the redemption charges
equivalent to the market value of the goods or conveyance, as the
case may be.
12. Penalty or confiscation not to interfere
with other punishments. - No penalty imposed or
confiscation made under this Act shall prevent the imposition of
any other punishment to which the person affected thereby is
liable under any other law for the time being in force.
13. Adjudicating
Authority. - Any penalty may be imposed or any confiscation
may be adjudged under this Act by the Director General or,
subject to such limits as may be specified, by such other officer
as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, authorise in this behalf.
14. Giving of opportunity to the owner of the
goods, etc. - No order imposing a penalty or of
adjudication of confiscation shall be made unless the owner of
the goods or conveyance, or other person concerned, has been
given a notice in writing -
(a) informing him of the grounds on which it is proposed to
impose a penalty or to confiscate such goods or conveyance; and
(b) to make a representation in writing within such
reasonable time as may be specified in the notice against the
imposition of penalty or confiscation mentioned therein, and, if
he so desires, of being heard in the matter.
CHAPTER V
APPEAL AND REVISION
15. Appeal. - (1) Any person aggrieved by
any decision or order made by the Adjudicating Authority under
this Act may prefer an appeal,-
(a) where the decision or order has been made by the
Director General, to the Central Government;
(b) where the decision or order has been made by an
officer subordinate to the Director General, to the Director
General or to any officer superior to the Adjudicating Authority
authorised by the Director General to hear the appeal,
within a period of forty-five days from the date on which the
decision or order is served on such person :
Provided that the Appellate Authority may, if it is
satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause
from preferring the appeal within the aforesaid period, allow
such appeal to be preferred within a further period of thirty
days :
Provided further that in the case of an appeal against a
decision or order imposing a penalty or redemption charges, no
such appeal shall be entertained unless the amount of the penalty
or redemption charges has been deposited by the appellant:
Provided also that, where the Appellate Authority is of
opinion that the deposit to be made will cause undue hardship to
the appellant, it may, at its discretion, dispense with such
deposit either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as
it may impose.
(2) The Appellate Authority may, after giving to the
appellant a reasonable opportunity of being heard, if he so
desires, and after making such further inquiries, if any, as it
may consider necessary, make such orders as it thinks fit,
confirming, modifying or reversing the decision or order appealed
against, or may send back the case with such directions, as it
may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or decision, as the case
may be, after taking additional evidence, if necessary :
Provided that an order enhancing or imposing a penalty or
redemption charges or confiscating goods of a greater value shall
not be made under this section unless the appellant has been
given an opportunity of making a representation, and, if he so
desires, of being heard in his defence.
(3) The order made in appeal by the Appellate Authority
shall be final.
16. Revision. - The Central Government, in
the case of any decision or order, not being a decision or order
made in an appeal, made by the Director General, or the Director
General in the case of any decision or order made by any officer
subordinate to him, may on its or his own motion or otherwise,
call for and examine the records of any proceeding in which a
decision or an order imposing a penalty or redemption charges or
adjudicating confiscation has been made and against which no
appeal has been preferred, for the purpose of satisfying itself
or himself, as the case may be, as to the correctness, legality
or propriety of such decision or order and make such orders
thereon as may be deemed fit:
Provided that no decision or order shall be varied under
this section so as to prejudicially affect any person unless such
person -
(a) has, within a period of two years from the date of such
decision or order, received a notice to show cause why such
decision or order shall not be varied, and
(b) has been given a reasonable opportunity of making
representation and, if he so desires, of being heard in his
defence.
17. Powers of Adjudicating and other Authorities. -
(1) Every authority making any adjudication or hearing any appeal
or exercising any powers of revision under this Act shall have all
the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure,
1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following
matters, namely : -
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of any
document;
(c) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof
from any court or office;
(d) receiving evidence on affidavits; and
(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses
or documents.
(2) Every authority making any adjudication or hearing any appeal
or exercising any powers of revision under this Act shall be
deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of sections 345 and
346 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
(3) Every authority making any adjudication or hearing any
appeal or exercising any powers of revision under this Act shall
have the power to make such orders of an interim nature as it may
think fit and may also, for sufficient cause, order the stay of
operation of any decision or order.
(4) Clerical or arithmetical mistakes in any decision or
order or errors arising therein from any accidental slip or
omission may at any time be corrected by the authority by which
the decision or order was made, either on its own motion or on
the application of any of the parties :
Provided that where any correction proposed to be made
under this sub-section will have the effect of prejudicially
affecting any person, no such correction shall be made except
after giving to that person a reasonable opportunity of making a
representation in the matter and no such correction shall be made
after the expiry of two years from the date on which such
decision or order was made.
CHAPTER VI
MISCELLANEOUS
18. Protection of action taken in good faith. -
No order made or deemed to have been made under this Act shall be
called in question in any court, and no suit, prosecution or
other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything
in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any
order made or deemed to have been made thereunder.
19. Power to make rules. - (1) The Central
Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make
rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality
of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of
the following matters, namely:-
(a) the manner in which and the conditions subject
to which a special licence may be issued under sub-section (2) of
section 8;
(b) the exceptions subject to which and the person or class of
persons in respect of whom fees may be levied and the manner in
which a licence may be granted or renewed under sub-section (1)
of section 9;
(c) the class or classes of goods for which a licence may
be granted under sub-section (2) of section 9;
(d) the form in which and the terms, conditions and
restrictions subject to which licence may be granted under
sub-section (3) of section 9;
(e) the conditions subject to which a licence may be
suspended or cancelled under sub-section (4) of section 9;
(f) the premises, goods, documents, things and conveyances
in respect of which and the requirements and conditions subject
to which power of entry, search, inspection and seizure may be
exercised under sub-section (1) of section 10;
(g) the class or classes of cases for which and the manner
in which an amount, by way of settlement, may be determined
under sub-section (3) of section 11;
(h) the requirements and conditions subject to which goods
and conveyances shall be liable to confiscation under
sub-section (5) of section 11;
(i) the manner in which and the conditions subject to which goods
and conveyances may be released on payment of redemption charges
under sub-section (6) of section 11; and
(j) any other matter which is to be, or may be,
prescribed, or in respect of which provision is to be, or may
be, made by rules.
(3) Every rule and every Order made by the Central Government
under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made,
before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a
total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session
or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry
of the session immediately following the session or the successive
sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification
in the rule or the Order or both Houses agree that the rule or the
Order should not be made, the rule or the Order, as the case may
be, shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be
of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such
modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under that rule or the Order.
20. Repeal and savings.-(1) The Imports and
Exports (Control) Act, 1947 (18 of 1947), and the Foreign Trade
(Development and Regulation) Ordinance, 1992 (Ord. 11 of 1992)
are hereby repealed.
(2) The repeal of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act,
1947 (18 of 1947) shall, however, not affect, -
(a) the previous operation of the Act so repealed or anything
duly done or suffered thereunder; or
(b) any right, privilege, obligation or liability
acquired, accrued or incurred under the Act so repealed; or
(c) any penalty, confiscation or punishment incurred in
respect of any contravention under the Act so repealed; or
(d) any proceeding or remedy in respect of any such right,
privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, confiscation or
punishment as aforesaid,
and any such proceeding or remedy may be instituted, continued or
enforced, and any such penalty, confiscation or punishment may be
imposed or made as if that Act had not been repealed.
(3) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Foreign Trade
(Development and Regulation) Ordinance, 1992 (Ord. 11 of 1992),
anything done or any action taken under the said Ordinance shall
be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding
provisions of this Act.
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