New Delhi, Jan 2 (KNN) The customs department has extended the date for implementation of mandatory electronic sealing for deposit and removal of goods from customs warehouses.

The date has been deferred for the fourth time. Earlier, the requirement of e-sealing of goods was supposed to come into effect from January 1, 2019.

Last year, the customs department had decided that radio-frequency identification (RFID) sealing shall be required on transport of goods for deposit in a warehouse as well as removal therefrom.

Therefore, wherever the 'warehousing regulations' prescribe affixing of a 'one-time lock', the importer or owner of the goods shall use RFID anti-tamper one-time-locks.

The e-sealing requirement for deposit in and removal of goods from customs bonded warehouses was originally to come into effect from August 15, 2018, which was then deferred to October 1, 2018. Its implementation was again postponed to November 1, 2018, and then further to January 1, 2019.

In a letter to principal chief commissioners/chief commissioners of customs, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said the implementation of the e-sealing norms stands deferred.

"The board has decided to further defer the implementation" of electronic sealing for deposit in and removal of goods from customs bonded warehouses, the CBIC said.