The Customs Department will roll out pan-India faceless assessment for all imported goods by October 31, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has said. While faceless assessment for import of certain goods was already rolled out in Bengaluru and Chennai ports on June 8, it was extended to Delhi and Mumbai Customs on August 3. This will now be extended in phases to all ports across the country by December 31.

“Board has decided to roll out the Faceless Assessment at an all India level in all ports of import and for all imported goods by October 31, 2020,” the CBIC said in a circular. Faceless assessment enables an assessing officer, who is physically located in a particular jurisdiction, to assess a Bill of Entry pertaining to imports made at a different Customs station, whenever such a Bill of Entry has been assigned to him through an automated system.

The CBIC has constituted 11 National Assessment Centres (NACs), consisting of the Principal Commissioners/ Commissioners of Customs.