2.6 While filing the Bill of Entry, the correctness of the information given therein has also to
be certified by the importer in the form a declaration at the foot of the Bill of Entry and
any mis-declaration/incorrect declaration has legal consequences.
2.7 Under the EDI system, the importer does not submit documents as such but submits
declarations in electronic format containing all the relevant information to the Service
Centre. A signed paper copy of the declaration is taken by the service centre operator
for non-reputability of the declaration. A checklist is generated for verification of data
by the importer/CHA. After verification, the data is filed by the Service Centre Operator
and EDI system generates a Bill of Entry Number, which is endorsed on the printed
checklist and returned to the importer/CHA. No original documents are taken at this
stage. Original documents are taken at the time of examination. The importer/CHA
also needs to sign on the final document before Customs clearance.
2.8 The first stage for processing a Bill of Entry is termed as the noting/registration of the
Bill of Entry vis-à-vis the IGM filed by the carrier. In the manual format, the importer has
to get the Bill of Entry noted in the concerned Noting Section which checks the
consignment sought to be cleared having been manifested in the particular vessel
and a Bill of Entry number is generated and indicated on all copies. After noting, the
Bill of Entry gets sent to the appraising section of the Custom House for assessment
functions, payment of duty etc. In the EDI system, the noting aspect is checked by the
system itself, which also generates Bill of Entry number.
2.9 After noting/registration the Bill of Entry is forwarded manually or electronically to the
concerned Appraising Group in the Custom House dealing with the commodity sought
to be cleared. Appraising Wing of the Custom House has a number of Groups dealing
with commodities falling under different Chapter Headings of the Customs Tariff and
they take up further scrutiny for assessment, import permissibility angle etc.