Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Govt withdraws customs concessions provided to BCCI

Published: Monday, Jan 17, 2011, 21:57 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_govt-withdraws-customs-concessions-provided-to-bcci_1495852
The government today withdrew customs duty exemption on import of goods by the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) or bodies certified by it following non-compliance of mandatory requirements.
This follows the sports ministry de-recognising BCCI as a national sports federation or the apex body for cricket in India.
The move comes ahead of the World Cup which will be co-hosted by BCCI from February 19.
"...it is informed that henceforth BCCI would not be eligible to avail itself of duty exemption under notification no 21/2002 customs dated 1.3.2002 or any other customs notification.
"Thus goods imported by BCCI or certified by BCCI for import are not entitled to any exemption benefit which is available to sports goods or equipment or consumables imported or certified by a National Sports Federation (NSF) or Apex body," Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said in a circular.
The decision, according to Deloitte India indirect tax leader Prashant Deshpande, "is a setback to the stakeholders associated with the forthcoming World Cup proposed to be staged in India who would now be visited with a customs duty burden of up to 26.85% on sports requisites".
The circular said that the concessions were withdrawn as BCCI did not submit the necessary documents to the ministry of youth affairs and sports.
"The ministry of youth affairs and sports has informed that the BCCI has not complied with the mandatory requirements of submitting the necessary documents to the government for annual recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) /Apex Body for the game of cricket in India", the circular added.
In view of the non-compliance, the BCCI would cease to be a NSF or the apex body for cricket with immediate effect, it added.
India along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is organising the ICC World Cup Cricket 2011 which is being co-hosted by BCCI.