Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1973
[As amended by the Foreign Exchange Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1993]

(46 of 1973)

An Act to consolidate and amend the law regulating certain payments, dealings in foreign exchange and securities, transactions indirectly affecting foreign exchange and the import and export of currency, for the conservation of the foreign exchange resources of the country and the proper utilisation thereof in the interests of the economic development of the country.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows :-

Short title, extent, application and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973.

(2) It extends to the whole of India.

(3) It applies also to all citizens of India outside India and to branches and agencies outside India of companies or bodies corporate, registered or incorporated in India.

(4) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf:

Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

Definitions

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

1. ';Authorized dealer'; means a person for the time being authorized under section 6 to deal in foreign exchange;
2. ';Bearer certificate'; means a certificate of title to securities by the delivery of which (with or without endorsement) the title to the securities is transferable;
3. ';Certificate of title to a security'; means any document used in the ordinary course of business as proof of the possession or control of the security, or authorizing or purporting to authorize, either by an endorsement or by delivery, the possessor of the document to transfer or receive the security thereby represented;
4. ';Coupon'; means a coupon representing dividends or interest on a security;
5. ';currency'; includes all coins, currency notes, banks notes, postal notes, postal orders, money orders, cheques, drafts, traveller's cheques, letters of credit, bills of exchange and promissory notes;
6. ';foreign currency'; means any currency other than Indian currency;
7. ';foreign exchange'; means foreign currency and includes -
   
   (i) all deposits, credits and balances payable in any foreign currency, and any drafts, traveller's cheques, letters of credit and bills of exchange, expressed or drawn in Indian currency but payable in any foreign currency;
   

(ii) any instrument payable, at the option of the drawee or holder thereof or any other party thereto, either in Indian currency or in foreign currency or partly in one and partly in the other;

8. ';foreign security'; means any security created or issued elsewhere than in India, and any security the principal of or interest on which is payable in any foreign currency or elsewhere than in India;
9. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993
10. ';Indian currency'; means currency which is expressed or drawn in Indian rupees but does not include special bank notes and special one-rupee notes issued under section 28A of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934;
11. ';Indian custom waters'; means the waters extending into the sea to a distance of twelve nautical miles measured from the appropriate base line on the coast of India and includes any bay, gulf, harbour, creek or tidal river;
12. money-changer'; means a person for the time being authorised under section 7 to deal in foreign currency;
13. ';overseas market';, in relation to any goods, means the market in the country outside India and in which such goods are intended to be sold;
14. ';owner';, in relation to any security, includes any person who has power to sell or transfer the security, or who has the custody thereof or who receives, whether on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person, dividends or interest thereon, and who has any interest therein, and in a case where any security is held on any trust or dividends or interest thereon are paid into a trust fund, also includes any trustee or any person entitled to enforce the performance of the trust or to revoke or vary, with or without the consent of any other person, the trust or any terms thereof, or to control the investment of the trust moneys;
15. ';person resident in India'; means -
    (i) a citizen of India, who has, at any time after the 25th day of March, 1947, been staying in India but does not include a citizen of India who has gone out of, or stays outside, India, in either case-
    (a) for or on taking up employment outside India, or
    (b) for carrying on outside India a business or vocation outside India, or
    (c) for any other purpose, in such circumstances as would indicate his intention to stay outside India for an uncertain period;
    (ii) a citizen of India, who having ceased by virtue of paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) of sub-clause (I) to be resident in India, returns to, or stays in, India, in either case -
    (a) for or on taking up employment in India, or
    (b) for carrying on in India a business or vocation in India, or
    (c) for any other purpose, in such circumstances as would indicate his intention to stay in India for an uncertain period;
    (iii) a person, not being a citizen of India, who has come to, or stays in, India, in either case -
    (a) for or on taking up employment in India, or
    (b) for carrying on in India a business or vocation in India, or
    (c) for staying with his or her spouse, such spouse being a person resident in India, or
    (d) for any other purposes, in such circumstances as would indicate his intention to stay in India for an uncertain period;
    (iv) a citizen of India, who, not having stayed in India at any time after the 25th day of March, 1947, comes to India for any of the purposes referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of sub-clause (iii) or for the purpose and in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (d) of that sub-clause or having come to India stays in India for any such purpose and in such circumstances.
    
    Explanation - A person, who has, by reason only of paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) or paragraph (d) of sub-clause (iii) been resident in India, shall, during any period in which he is outside India, be deemed to be not resident in India;
16. ';person resident outside India'; means a person who is not resident in India;
17. ';precious stone'; includes pearl and semi-precious stone and such other stone or gem as the Central Government may for the purposes of this Act, notify in this behalf in the Official Gazette;
18. ';prescribed'; means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
19. ';Reserve Bank'; means the Reserve Bank of India;
20. ';security'; means shares, stocks, bonds, debentures, debenture stock, Government securities as defined in the Public Debt Act, 1944, savings certificates to which the Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959 applies, deposit receipts in respect of deposits of securities, and units or sub-units of unit trusts and includes certificates of title to securities, but does not include bills of exchange or promissory notes other than Government promissory notes;
21. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993
22. ';transfer';, in relation to any security, includes transfer by way of loan or security.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The provisions of F.E.R. (Amendment) Act, 1993 (hereafter referred to as Act 29 of 1993) came into force on the 8th day of January 1993.

Classes of officers of Enforcement

There shall be the following classes of officers of Enforcement, namely:-

1. Directors of Enforcement;
2. Additional Directors of Enforcement;
3. Deputy Directors of Enforcement;
4. Assistant Directors of Enforcement and
5. such other class of officers of Enforcement as may be appointed for the purposes of this Act.

Appointment and powers of officers of Enforcement

4. (a) The Central Government may appoint such persons as it thinks fit to be officers of Enforcement.

(b) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Central Government may authorise a Director of Enforcement or an Additional Director of Enforcement or a Deputy Director of Enforcement or an Assistant Director of Enforcement to appoint officers of Enforcement below the rank of an Assistant Director of Enforcement.

(c) Subject to such conditions and limitations as the Central Government may impose, an officer of Enforcement may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed on him under this Act.

Entrustment of functions of Director

5. The Central Government may, by order and subject to such conditions and limitations as it thinks fit to impose, authorise any officer of customs or any Central Excise Officer or any police officer or any other officer of the Central Government or a State Government to exercise such of the powers and discharge such of the duties of the Director of Enforcement or any other officer of Enforcement under this Act as may be specified in the order.

Authorised dealers in foreign exchange

6. (a) The Reserve Bank may, on an application made to it in this behalf, authorize any person to deal in foreign exchange. (b) An authorization under this section shall be in writing and -

1. may authorize transactions of all descriptions in foreign currencies or may be restricted to authorizing dealings in specified foreign currencies only;
2. may authorize dealings in all foreign currencies or may be restricted to authorizing specified transactions only;
3. may be granted to be effective for a specified period, or within specified amounts;
4. may be granted subject to such conditions as may be specified therein.

(c) Any authorization granted under sub-section (1) may be revoked by the Reserve Bank at any time if the Reserve Bank is satisfied that, -

1. it is in the public interest to do so; or
2. the authorized dealer has not complied with the conditions subject to which the authorisation was granted or has contravened any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, notification, direction or order made thereunder:
3. Provided that no such authorization shall be revoked on the ground specified in clause
4. unless the authorized dealer has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(d) Any authorized dealer shall, in all his dealings in foreign exchange and in the exercise and discharge of the powers and of the functions delegated to him under section 74, comply with such general or special directions or instructions as the Reserve Bank may, from time to time, think fit to give, and, except with the previous permission of the Reserve Bank, an authorized dealer shall not engage in any transaction involving any foreign exchange which is not in conformity with the terms of his authorization under this section.

(e) An authorised dealer shall, before undertaking any transaction in foreign exchange on behalf of any person, require that person to make such declarations and to give such information as will reasonably satisfy him that the transaction will not involve, and is not designed for the purpose of, any contravention or evasion of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, notification, direction or order made thereunder, and where the said person refuses to comply with any such requirement or makes only unsatisfactory compliance therewith, the authorised dealer shall refuse to undertake the transaction and shall, if he has reason to believe that any such contravention or evasion as aforesaid is contemplated by the person, report the matter to the Reserve Bank.

Money-changers

7. (a) The Reserve Bank may, on an application made to it in this behalf, authorise any person to deal in foreign currency.

(b) An authorisation under this section shall be in writing and -

1. may authorise dealings in all foreign currencies or may be restricted to authorising dealings in specified foreign currencies only;
2. may authorise transactions of all descriptions in foreign currencies or may be restricted to authorising specified transactions only;
3. may be granted with respect to a particular place where alone the money changer shall carry on his business;
4. may be granted to be effective for a specified period, or within specified amounts;
5. may be granted subject to such conditions as may be specified therein.

(c) Any authorisation granted under sub-section (1) may be revoked by the Reserve Bank at any time if the Reserve Bank is satisfied that -

1. it is in the public interest to do so; or the money-changer has not complied with the conditions subject to which the authorisation was granted or
2. has contravened any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, notification, direction or order made thereunder: Provided that no such authorisation shall be revoked on the ground specified in clause (ii) unless the money-changer has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(d) The provisions of sub-sections (4) and (5) of section 6 shall, in so far as they are applicable, apply in relation to a money-changer as they apply in relation to an authorised dealer.

Explanation - In this section, ';foreign currency'; means foreign currency in the form of notes, coins or traveller's cheques and ';dealing'; means purchasing foreign currency in the form of notes, coins or traveller's cheques or selling foreign currency in the form of notes or coins.

Restrictions on dealing in foreign exchange

8. (a) Except with the previous general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, no person other than an authorised dealer shall in India, and no person resident in India other than an authorised dealer shall outside India, purchase or otherwise acquire or borrow from, or sell, or otherwise transfer or lend to or exchange with, any person not being an authorised dealer, any foreign exchange: Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to any purchase or sale of foreign currency effected in India between any person and a money-changer.

Explanation - For the purposes of this sub-section, a person, who deposits foreign exchange with another persons or opens an account in foreign exchange with another person, shall be deemed to lend foreign exchange to such other person.

(b) Except with the previous general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, no person, whether an authorised dealer or a money-changer or otherwise, shall enter into any transaction which provides for the conversion of Indian currency into foreign currency or foreign currency into Indian currency at rates of exchange other than the rates for the time being authorised by the Reserve Bank.

(c) Where any foreign exchange is acquired by any person, other than an authorised dealer or a money-changer, for any particular purpose, or where any person has been permitted conditionally to aquire foreign exchange, the said person shall not use the foreign exchange so acquired otherwise than for that purpose or, as the case may be, fail to comply with any condition to which the permission granted to him is subject, and where any foreign exchange so acquired cannot be so used or the conditions cannot be complied with, the said person shall, within a period of thirty days from the date on which he comes to know that such foreign exchange cannot be so used or the conditions cannot be complied with, sell the foreign exchange to an authorised dealer or to a money-changer.

(d) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that where a person acquires foreign exchange for sending or bringing into India any goods but sends or brings no such goods or does not send or bring goods of a value representing the foreign exchange acquired, within a reasonable time or sends or brings any goods of a kind, quality or quantity different from that specified by him at the time of acquisition of the foreign exchange, such person shall, unless the contrary is proved, be presumed not to have been able to use the foreign exchange for the purpose for which he acquired it or, as the case may be, to have used the foreign exchange so acquired otherwise than for the purposes for which it was acquired.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent a person from buying from any post office, in accordance with any law or rules made thereunder for the time being in force, any foreign exchange in the form of postal orders or money orders.

Restrictions on payments

9. (a) Save as may be provided in and in accordance with any general or special exemption from the provisions of this sub-section which may be granted conditionally or unconditionally by the Reserve Bank, no person in, or resident in, India shall -

1. make any payment to or for the credit of any person resident outside India;
2. receive, otherwise than through an authorised dealer, any payment by order or on behalf of any person resident outside in India.

Explanation - For the purposes of this clause, where any person in, or resident in, India receives any payment by order or on behalf of any person resident outside India through any other person (including an authorised dealer) without a corresponding inward remittance from any place outside India, then, such person shall be deemed to have received such payment otherwise than through an authorised dealer;

3. sraw, issue or negotiate any bill of exchange or promissory note or acknowledge any debt, so that a right (whether actual or contingent) to receive a payment is created or transferred in favour of any person resident outside India;
4. make any payment to, or for the credit of, any person by order or on behalf of any person resident outside India;
5. place any sum to the credit of any person resident outside India;
6. make any payment to, or for the credit of, any person or receive any payment for, or by order or on behalf of, any person as consideration for or in association with

1. the receipt by any person of a payment or the acquisition by any person of property outside India,
2. the creation or transfer in favour of any person of a right (whether actual or contingent) to receive payment or acquire property outside India;

vii. draw, issue or negotiate any bill of exchange or promissory note, transfer any security or acknowledge any debt, so that a right (whether actual or contingent) to receive a payment is created or transferred in favour of any person as consideration for or in association with any matter referred to in clause

(b) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall render unlawful -

1. the making of any payment already authorised either with foreign exchange obtained from an authorised dealer or a money-changer under section 8 or with foreign exchange retained by a person in pursuance of an authorisation granted by the Reserve Bank;
2. the making of any payment with foreign exchange received by way of salary or payment for services not arising from any business in, or anything done while in, India.

(c) Save as may be provided in, and in accordance with, any general or special exemption from the provisions of this sub-section, which may be granted conditionally or unconditionally by the reserve Bank, no person shall remit or cause to be remitted any amount from any foreign country into India except in such a way that the remittance is received in India only through an authorised dealer.

(d) Nothing in this section shall restrict the doing by any person of anything within the scope of any authorisation or exemption granted under this Act.

(e) For the purposes of this section and section 19, ';security'; includes coupons or warrants representing dividends or interest and life or endowment insurance policies.

Blocked accounts

10. (i) Where an exemption from the provisions of section 9 is granted by the Reserve Bank in respect of payment of any sum to any person resident outside India and the exemption is made subject to the condition that the payment is made to a blocked account -

1. the payment shall be made to a blocked account in the name of that person in such manner as the Reserve Bank may, by general or special order, direct;
2. the crediting of that sum to that account shall, to the extent of the sum credited, be a good discharge to the person making the payment.

(ii) No sum standing at the credit of a blocked account shall be drawn on except in accordance with any general or special permission, which may be granted conditionally or otherwise by the Reserve Bank.

(iii) In this section, ';blocked account'; means an account opened, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, as a blocked account at any office or branch in India of a bank authorised in this behalf by the Reserve Bank, or an account blocked, whether before or after such commencement, by order of the Reserve Bank.

11. Deleted by Act 29 of 1983

12. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Restrictions on import and export of certain currency

13. (i) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, order that, subject to such exemption, if any, as may be specified in the notification, no person shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank and on payment of the fee, if any, prescribed, bring or send into India any foreign exchange or any Indian currency.

Explanation - For the purposes of this sub-section, the bringing or sending into any port or place in India of any such article as aforesaid intended to be taken out of India without being removed from the ship or conveyance in which it is being carried shall nonetheless be deemed to be a bringing, or, as the case may be, sending, into India of that article.

(ii) No person shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank or the written permission of a person authorised in this behalf by the Reserve Bank, take or send out of India any Indian currency or foreign exchange other than foreign exchange obtained by him from an authorised dealer or from a money-changer.

Acquisition by Central Government of foreign exchange

14. The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, order every person in, or resident in, India -

(a) who owns or holds such foreign exchange as may be specified in the notification, to offer it, or cause it to be offered, for sale to the Reserve Bank on behalf of the Central Government or to such person, as the Reserve Bank may authorise for the purpose, at such price as the Central Government may fix, being a price which is not less than the price calculated at the rate of exchange for the time being authorised by the Reserve Bank;

(b) who is entitled to assign any right to receive such foreign exchange as may be specified in the notification, to transfer that right to the Reserve Bank on behalf of the Central Government on payment of such consideration therefor as the Central Government may fix having regard to the rate for the time being authorised by the Reserve Bank in pursuance of sub-section (2) of section 8 for conversion into Indian currency of the foreign currency in which such foreign exchange is expressed:

Provided that the Central Government may, by the said notification or by a separate order, except any person or class of persons from the operation of the order made in the said notification: Provided further that nothing in this section shall apply to any foreign exchange acquired by a person from an authorised dealer or from a money-changer and retained by him with the permission of the Reserve Bank for any purpose.

15. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Duty of persons entitled to receive foreign exchange

16. (i) No person who has a right to receive any foreign exchange or to receive from a person resident outside India a payment in rupees shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, do or refrain from doing anything, or take or refrain from taking any action, which has the effect of securing -

1. that the receipt by him of the whole or part of that foreign exchange or payment is delayed, or
2. that the foreign exchange or payment ceases in whole or in part to be receivable by him.

(ii) Where a person has failed to comply with the requirements of sub-section (1) in relation to any foreign exchange or payment in rupees, the Reserve Bank may give to him such directions as appear to be expedient for the purposes of securing the receipt of the foreign exchange or payment, as the case may be.

17. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Payment for exported goods

18. (i) (a) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, prohibit the taking or sending out by land, sea or air (hereafter in this section referred to as export) of all goods or of any goods or class of goods specified in the notification from India directly or indirectly to any place so specified unless the exporter furnishes to the prescribed authority a declaration in the prescribed form supported by such evidence as may be prescribed or so specified and true in all material particulars which, among others, shall include the amount representing -

(ii) the full export value of the goods; or

(iii) if the full export value of the goods is not ascertainable at the time of export, the value which the exporter, having regard to the prevailing market conditions, expects to receive on the sale of the goods in the overseas market, and affirms in the said declaration that the full export value of the goods (whether ascertainable at the time of export or not) has been, or will within the prescribed period be, paid in the prescribed manner.

(b) If the Central Government is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient in the public interest so to do, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify any goods, from among those goods to which a notification under clause (a) applies, and direct that in respect of the goods so specified, where an exporter makes a declaration under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of the value which he, having regard to the prevailing market conditions expects to receive on the sale of such goods in the overseas market, he shall not, except with the permission of the Reserve Bank on an application made to the Reserve Bank by the exporter in this behalf, authorise or permit or allow or in any manner be a party to, the sale of such goods for a value less than that declared:

Provided that no permission shall be refused by the Reserve Bank under this clause unless the exporter has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter: Provided further that where the exporter makes an application to the Reserve Bank for permission under this clause and the Reserve Bank does not, within a period of twenty days from the date of receipt of the application, communicate to the exporter that permission applied for has been refused, it shall be presumed that Reserve Bank has granted such permission.

Explanation - In computing the period of twenty days for the purposes of the second proviso, the period, if any, taken by the Reserve Bank for giving an opportunity to the exporter for making a representation under the first proviso shall be excluded.

(2) Where any export of goods, to which a notification under clause (a) of sub-section (1) applies, has been made, no person shall, except with the permission of the Reserve Bank, do or refrain from doing anything, or take or refrain from taking any action, which has the effect of securing -

(A) in a case falling under sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (1),-

(a) that payment for the goods -

1. is made otherwise than in the prescribed manner, or
2. is delayed beyond the period prescribed under clause (a) of sub-section (1), or

(b) that the proceeds of sale of the goods exported do not represent the full export value of the goods subject to such deductions, if any, as may be allowed by the Reserve Bank; and

(B) in a case falling under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (1), also that the sale of the goods is delayed to an extent which is unreasonable having regard to the ordinary course of trade: Provided that no proceedings in respect of any contravention of the provisions of this sub-section shall be instituted unless the prescribed period has expired and payment for the goods representing the full export value has not been made in the prescribed manner within the prescribed period.

(3) Where in relation to any goods to which a notification under clause (a) of sub-section (1) applies the prescribed period has expired and payment therefor has not been made as aforesaid, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved by the person who has sold or is entitled to sell the goods or to procure the sale thereof, that such person has not taken all reasonable steps to receive or recover the payment for the goods as aforesaid and he shall accordingly be presumed to have contravened the provisions of sub-section (2).

(4) Where in relation to any goods to which a notification under clause (a) of sub-section (1) applies the prescribed period has expired and payment therefor has not been made as aforesaid, the Reserve Bank may give to any person who has sold the goods or who is entitled to sell the goods or procure the sale thereof, such directions as appear to it to be expedient for the purpose of securing -

(i) if the goods have been sold, the payment therefor, or

(ii) if the goods have not been sold, either the sale of the goods and payment therefor as aforesaid, or the re-import of the goods into India as the circumstances permit, within such period as the Reserve Bank may specify in this behalf and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, may direct that the goods, the right to receive the payment therefor or any other right to enforce such payment shall be transferred or assigned to the Central Government or to a person specified in the directions.

(5) Where any goods or a right to receive payment or any other right to enforce such payment, are or is transferred or assigned in accordance with sub-section (4), the Central Government shall pay to the person transferring or assigning the same, the amount recovered by or on behalf of the Central Government in respect of the goods, after deducting all costs, charges and expenses incurred by the Central Government in selling the goods or in recovering or realising the amount in respect of such goods.

(6) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section(1), where the value of the goods specified in the declaration furnished under that sub-section is less than the amount which in the opinion of the Reserve Bank, in a case falling under sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of that sub-section, represents the full export value of those goods, or in a case falling under sub-clause (ii) of that clause, the value which the exporter can, having regard to the prevailing market conditions, expect to receive on the sale of the goods in the overseas market, the Reserve Bank may issue an order requiring the person holding the shipping documents to retain possession thereof until such time as the exporter of the goods has made arrangements for the Reserve Bank or a person authorised by the Reserve Bank to receive on behalf of the exporter payment in the prescribed manner of an amount which in the opinion of the Reserve Bank represents the full export value of such goods or the value which the exporter, having regard to the prevailing market conditions, can be expected to receive on the sale of the goods in the overseas market.

(7) For the purpose of ensuring compliance with provisions of this section and any order or direction made thereunder, the Reserve Bank or the prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (1) may require any person making any export of goods to which a notification under clause (a) of that sub-section applies to exhibit contracts with his foreign buyer or other evidence to show that the full export value of the goods, or, as the case may be, the value which the exporter, having regard to the prevailing market conditions, expects to receive on the sale of the goods in the overseas market, has been, or will within the prescribed period be, paid in the prescribed manner.

(8) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), where the Reserve Bank has permitted any authorised dealer to accept for negotiation or collection of shipping documents covering exports from his constituent [not being a person who has signed the declaration in terms of sub-section (1)], such authorised dealer shall, before accepting such documents for negotiation or collection, require the constituent concerned also to sign such declaration and thereupon such constituent shall be bound to comply with such requisition and the original declarant and such constituent signing the declaration shall each be considered to be the exporter for the purposes of this section, and shall be governed by the provisions thereof accordingly.

(9) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), in relation to export of goods to which a notification under clause (a) of that sub-section applies, the Reserve Bank may, for the purpose of ensuring that the full export value of the goods or, as the case may be, the value which the exporter, having regard to the prevailing market conditions, expects to receive on the sale of the goods in the overseas market, is received in proper time or without delay, by general or special order, direct from time to time, that in respect of export of goods to any destination or any class of export transactions or any class of goods or class of exporters, the exporter shall, prior to the export of the goods, comply with any or all of the following conditions as may be specified in the order, namely:-

1. that any contract or other arrangement for the sale of the goods shall be registered in such manner and with such authority or organisation as may be specified in the order;
2. that the payment for the goods is covered by an irrevocable letter of credit or by such other arrangement or document as may be specified in the order;
3. that a copy of the declaration to be furnished to the prescribed authority under sub-section(1) shall be submitted to such authority or organisation as may be specified in the order for certifying that the value of the goods specified in such declaration represents the proper value thereof;
4. that any declaration to be furnished to the prescribed authority under sub-section (1) shall be submitted to the Reserve Bank for its prior approval, which may, having regard to the circumstances, be given or withheld or may be given subject to such conditions as the Reserve Bank may deem fit to impose: Provided that no approval shall be withheld by the Reserve Bank under this clause unless the exporter has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(10) Where the Central Government is of opinion that, in respect of any goods or class of goods or class of exporters, or in respect of export to any destination, the practice of exporting goods in accordance with any term to the effect that the goods will be sold on account of the exporter and the account of such sales rendered to the exporter has resulted or is likely to result in the full export value of the goods not being brought into India in the prescribed manner or within the prescribed period, it may, by general or special order, prohibit the export, in accordance with such term, of such goods or class of goods or by such exporters or to such destination.

Payment for lease, hire or other arrangement

18A. No person shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, take or send out by land, sea or air any goods from India to any place on lease or hire or under any arrangement other than sale or disposal in any other manner of such goods.

Regulation of export and transfer of securities

19. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 81 of the Companies Act, 1956, no person shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank,

1. take or send any security to any place outside India;
2. transfer any security, or create or transfer any interest in a security, to or in favour of a person resident outside India;
3. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993;
4. issue, whether in India or elsewhere, any security which is registered or to be registered in India, to a person resident outside India;
5. acquire, hold or dispose of any foreign security.

(2) Where the holder of a security is a nominee, neither he nor any person through whose agency the exercise of all or any of the holder's rights in respect of the security is controlled shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, do any act, whereby he recognizes or gives effect to the substitution of another person as the person from whom he directly receives instructions, unless both the person previously instructing and the person substituted for that person were, immediately before the substitution, resident in India.

(3) The Reserve Bank may, for the purpose of securing that the provisions of this section are not evaded, require that the person transferring any security and the person to whom such security is transferred shall subscribe to a declaration that the transferee is not resident outside India.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, no person shall, except with the permission of the Reserve Bank, -

1. enter any transfer of securities in any register or book in which securities are registered or inscribed if he has any ground for suspecting that the transfer involves any contravention of the provisions of this section, or
2. enter in any such register or book, in respect of any security whether in connection with the issue or transfer of the security or otherwise, an address outside India except by way of substitution for any such address in the same country or for the purpose of any transaction for which permission has been granted under this section with knowledge that it involves entry of the said address.
3. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, no transfer of any share, bond or debenture of a company registered in India made by a person resident outside India or by a national of a foreign State to another person resident in India shall be valid unless such transfer is confirmed by the Reserve Bank on an application made to it in this behalf by the transferor or the transferee.

(6) If the Reserve Bank is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient in the public interest so to do, it may, by general or special permission exempt any transfer referred to in sub-section (5) or any class of such transfers from the operation of the provisions of that sub-section, subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified in such permission.

(7) For the purposes of this section -

1. ';holder';, in relation to a bearer security, means the person having physical custody of the security; provided that, where a bearer security is deposited with any person in a locked or sealed receptacle from which the person with whom it is deposited is not entitled to remove it without the authority of some other person, that other person shall be deemed to be the holder of the security;
2. ';nominee'; means a holder of any security (including a bearer security) or any coupon representing dividends or interest who, as respects the exercise of any rights in respect of the security or coupon, is not entitled to exercise those rights except in accordance with the instructions given by some other person, and a person holding a security or coupon as a nominee shall be deemed to act as nominee for the person who is entitled to give instructions either directly or through the agency of one or more persons, as to the exercise by the holder of the security or coupon of any rights in respect thereof and is not, in so doing, himself under a duty to comply with instructions given by some other person.

20. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

21. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Restrictions on issue of bearer securities

22. Except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, no person shall, in India, and no person resident in India shall, outside India, create or issue any bearer certificate or coupon or so alter any document that it becomes a bearer certificate or coupon.

23. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Restriction on settlement

24. No person resident in India shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, settle, or make a gift of, any property so that a person who at the time of the settlement or the making of the gift is resident outside India, elsewhere than in the territories notified in this behalf by the Reserve Bank, will have an interest in the property, or exercise any power for payment in favour of a person who at the time of the exercise of the power is resident outside India elsewhere than in such notified territories:

Provided that any settlement or gift made or any power exercised as aforesaid without the permission of the Reserve Bank shall not be invalid merely on the ground that such permission has not been obtained.

Restriction on holding of immovable property outside India

25. (1) No person resident in India shall, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, acquire or hold or transfer or dispose of by sale, mortgage, lease, gift, settlement or otherwise, any immovable property situate outside India: Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to the acquisition or transfer of any such immovable property by way of lease for a period not exceeding five years.

(2) Any person resident in India and holding any immovable property outside India at the commencement of this Act shall, before the expiry of a period of three months from such commencement or such further period as the Reserve Bank may allow in this behalf, declare such holding to the Reserve Bank in such form and containing such particulars as may be specified by the Reserve Bank.

(3) Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

(4) Nothing in this section shall apply to a national of a foreign State. Certain provisions as to guarantee in respect of debt or other obligation

26. Except with the general or special permission of the Central Government, or the Reserve Bank, no person resident in India shall give a guarantee in respect of any debt or other obligation or liability-

(i) of a person resident in India, and due or owing to a person resident outside India, or

(ii) of a person resident outside India.

27. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Restrictions on the appointment of certain persons and companies as agents

28. (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 47 and notwithstanding anything contained in any of other provision of this Act or the Companies Act, 1956, a person resident outside India (whether a citizen of India or not) or a person who is not a citizen of India but is resident in India, or a company (other than a banking company) which is not incorporated under any law in force in India or any branch of such company, shall not, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank act, or accept appointment, as agent in India of any person or company, in the trading or commercial transactions of such person or company, or

(2) Where any such person or company (including its branch) as is referred to in sub-section (1) acts or accepts appointment as such agent, without the permission of the Reserve Bank, such acting or appointment shall be void.

(3) Where any such person or company (including its branch) as is referred to in sub-section (1) acts as, or holds the appointment of, any such agent as is referred to in that sub-section at the commencement of this Act, such person or company (including its branch) shall, within a period of six months from such commencement or such further period as the Reserve Bank may allow in this behalf, make an application to the Reserve Bank in such form and containing such particulars as may be specified by the Reserve Bank for permission to continue to act, as such agent.

(4) On receipt of an application under sub-section (3), the Reserve Bank may, after making such inquiry as it deems fit, either allow the application subject to such conditions, if any, as the Reserve Bank may think fit to impose, or reject the application: Provided that no application shall be rejected under this sub-section unless the parties who may be affected by such rejection have been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(5) Where any application has been rejected under sub-section (4), the acting, appointment or permission, as the case may be, shall be void on the expiry of a period of ninety days, or such other later date as may be specified by the Reserve Bank, from the date of receipt by the person or company (including its branch) concerned of the communication conveying such rejection.

(6) Where no application has been made under sub-section (3) by any such person or company (including its branch) as is referred to in sub-section (1), the Reserve Bank may, by order, direct such person or company (including its branch) to desist from such acting on the expiry of such period as may be specified in the direction:

Provided that no direction shall be made under this sub-section unless the parties who may be affected by such direction have been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(7) Where any direction made under sub-section (6) has not been complied with by any person or company (including its branch), then, without prejudice to any action that may be taken under this Act, the acting, shall be with effect from the expiry of the period specified in the direction.

Explanation - For the purposes of this section

1. ';agent'; includes any person or company (including its branch) who or which buys any goods with a view to sell such goods before any processing thereof;
2. ';company'; means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals;
3. ';processing'; means any art or process for producing, preparing or making an article by subjecting any material to a manual, mechanical, chemical, electrical or any other like operation but does not include any process incidental or ancillary to the completion of a manufactured product such as dividing, pressing, compressing, packing, re-packing, labeling, re-labeling, branding or the adoption of any such treatment as is necessary to render such product marketable to the consumer.
4. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Restrictions on establishment of place of business in India

29. (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 28 and section 47 and notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act or the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956, a person resident outside India (whether a citizen of India or not) or a person who is not a citizen of India but is resident in India or a company (other than a banking company) which is not incorporated under any law in force in India or any branch of such company, shall not, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, -

(a) carry on in India, or establish in India a branch, office or other place of business for carrying on any activity of a trading, commercial or industrial nature, other than an activity for the carrying on of which permission of the Reserve Bank has been obtained under Section 28; or

(b) acquire the whole or any part of any undertaking in India of any person or company carrying on any trade, commerce or industry or purchase the shares in India of any such company.

(1A) A company (other than a banking company) in which the non-resident interest is more than forty per cent, shall not, except with the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, carry on in India any activity relating to agriculture or plantation or acquire the whole or any part of any undertaking in India of any person or company carrying on any activity relating to agriculture or plantation or purchase the shares in such company.

(2) (a) Where any person or company (including its branch) referred to in sub-section (1) carries on any activity referred to in clause (a) of that sub-section at the commencement of this Act or has established a branch, office or other place of business for the carrying on of such activity at such commencement, then, such person or company (including its branch) may make an application to the Reserve Bank within a period of six months from such commencement or such further period as the Reserve Bank may allow in this behalf for permission to continue to carry on such activity or to continue the establishment of the branch, office or other place of business for the carrying on of such activity, as the case may be.

(b) Every application made under clause (a) shall be in such form and contain such particulars as may be specified by the reserve Bank.

(c) Where any application has been made under clause (a), the Reserve Bank may, after making such inquiry as it may deem fit, either allow the application subject to such conditions, if any, as the Reserve Bank may think fit to impose or reject the application: Provided that no application shall be rejected under this clause unless the parties who may be affected by such rejection have been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(d) Where an application is rejected by the Reserve Bank under clause (c), the person or company (including its branch) concerned shall discontinue such activity or close down the branch, office or other place of business established for the carrying on of such activity, as the case may be, on the expiry of a period of ninety days or such other later date as may be specified by the Reserve Bank from the date of receipt by such person or company (including its branch) of the communication conveying such rejection.

(e) Where no application has been made under clause (a) by any person or company (including its branch), the Reserve Bank may, by order, direct such person or company (including its branch) to discontinue such activity or to close down the branch, office or other place of business established for the carrying on of such activity, as the case may be, on the expiry of such period as may be specified in the direction: Provided that no direction shall be made under this clause unless the parties who may be affected by such direction have been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2), the Reserve Bank may, having regard to

1. the fact that any person or company (including its branch), referred to in sub-section (1), is carrying on any activity referred to in clause (a) of that sub-section at the commencement of this Act or has established a branch, office or other place of business for the carrying on of such activity at such commencement, in either case, in pursuance of any permission or licence granted by the Central Government; and
2. the nature of the activity which is being, or intended to be, carried on by such person or company (including its branch), by order, exempt

1. such person or company (including its branch); or
2. any class of such persons or companies (including their branches), in relation to such activity as may be specified in the order, from the operation of the provisions of sub-section (2) subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order: Provided that the Reserve Bank shall not make any order under this sub-section in a case where the activity which is being, or intended to be, carried on is solely of a trading nature.

(4) (a) Where at the commencement of this Act any person or company (including its branch) referred to in sub-section (1) holds any shares in India of any company referred to in clause (b) of that sub-section, then, such person or company (including its branch) shall not be entitled to continue to hold such shares unless before the expiry of a period of six months from such commencement or such further period as the Reserve Bank may allow in this behalf such person or company (including its branch) has made an application to the Reserve Bank in such form and containing such particulars as may be specified by the Reserve Bank for permission to continue to hold such shares.

(b) Where an application has been made under clause (a), the Reserve Bank may, after making such inquiry as it may deem fit, either allow the application subject to such conditions, if any, as the Reserve Bank may think fit to impose or reject the application: Provided that no application shall be rejected under this clause unless the parties who may be affected by such rejection have been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

(c) Where an application has been rejected under clause (b) or where no application has been made under clause (a), the Reserve Bank may, if it is of opinion that it is expedient so to do for the purpose of conserving the foreign exchange, direct such person or company (including its branch) to sell or procure the sale of such shares: Provided that no direction shall be made under this clause unless notice of such direction for a period of not less than ninety days has been given to the person or company (including its branch) to be affected by such direction.

Explanation - For the purposes of this section, -

1. ';company'; has the same meaning as in clause (b) of the Explanation to section 28:
2. ';non-resident interest'; means participation in the share capital by, or entitlement to the distributable profits of any individual or company resident outside India, or any company not incorporated under any law in force in India, or any branch of such company whether resident outside India or not.

Prior permission of Reserve Bank required for practising profession, etc. in India by nationals of foreign States

30. (1) No national of a foreign State shall, without the previous permission of the Reserve Bank practise any profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business in India in a case where such national desires to acquire any foreign exchange (such foreign exchange being intended for remittance outside India) out of any moneys received by him in India by reason of the practising of such profession or the carrying on of such occupation, trade or business, as the case may be.

(2) Where any national of a foreign State desires to obtain the permission of the Reserve Bank under sub-section (1), he may make an application to the Reserve Bank in such form, in such manner and containing such particulars as may be prescribed.

(3) On receipt of an application under sub-section (2), the Reserve Bank may, after making such inquiry as it deems fit, allow the application subject to such conditions, if any, as it may think fit to impose or reject the application: Provided that no application shall be rejected under this sub-section unless the applicant has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter.

Restriction on acquisition, holding, etc., of immovable property in India

31. (1) No person who is not a citizen of India and no company (other than a banking company) which is not incorporated under any law in force in India shall, except with the previous general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, acquire or hold or transfer or dispose of by sale, mortgage, lease, gift, settlement or otherwise any immovable property situate in India:

Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to the acquisition or transfer of any such immovable property by way of lease for a period not exceeding five years.

(2) Any person or company referred to in sub-section (1) and requiring a special permission under that sub-section for acquiring, or holding, or transferring, or disposing of, by sale, mortgage, lease, gift, settlement or otherwise any immovable property situate in India may make an application to the Reserve Bank in such form and containing such particulars as may be specified by the Reserve Bank.

(3) On receipt of an application under sub-section (2), the Reserve Bank may, after making such inquiry as it deems fit, either grant or refuse to grant the permission applied for: Provided that no permission shall be refused unless the applicant has been given a reasonable opportunity for making a representation in the matter: Provided further that if before the expiry of a period of ninety days from the date on which the application was received by the Reserve Bank, the Reserve Bank does not communicate to the applicant that the permission applied for has been refused, it shall be presumed that the Reserve Bank has granted such permission. Explanation - In computing the period of ninety days for the purposes of the second proviso, the period, if any, taken by the Reserve Bank for giving an opportunity to the applicant for making a representation under the first proviso shall be excluded.

(4) Every person and company referred to in sub-section (1) holding at the commencement of this Act any immovable property situate in India shall, before the expiry of a period of ninety days from such commencement or such further period as the Reserve Bank may allow in this behalf, make a declaration in such form as may be specified by the Reserve Bank regarding the immovable property or properties held by such person or company.

32. Deleted by Act 29 of 1993

Power to call for information

33. (1) The Central Government may, at any time by notification in the Official Gazette, direct the owners, subject to such exceptions, if any, as may be specified in the notification, of such foreign exchange or foreign securities or immovable properties held outside India as may be so specified, to submit a return, or from time to time returns, thereof to the Reserve Bank within such period, and giving such particulars, as may be so specified.

(2) Where for the purposes of this Act the Central Government or the Reserve Bank or any officer of Enforcement, not below the rank of a Chief Enforcement Officer, considers it necessary or expedient to obtain and examine any information, book or other document in the possession of any person or which in the opinion of the Central Government or the Reserve Bank or such officer it is possible for such person to obtain and furnish, the Central Government or the Reserve Bank or, as the case may be, such officer may, by order in writing, require any such person (whose name shall be specified in the order) to furnish, or to obtain and furnish, to the Central Government or the Reserve Bank or such officer or any person specified in the order with such information, book or other document and thereupon such person shall be bound to comply with such requisition.

Explanation - For the purposes of this section, section 34 and sections 36 to 41 (both inclusive), ';document'; includes Indian currency, foreign exchange and books of account.

Power to search suspected persons and to seize documents

34. (1) If any officer of Enforcement authorised in this behalf by the Central Government, by general or special order, has reason to believe that any person has secreted about his person or in anything under his possession, ownership or control any documents which will be useful for, or relevant to, any investigation or proceeding under this Act, he may search that person or such thing and seize such documents.

(2) When any officer of Enforcement is about to search any person under the provisions of this section, the officer of Enforcement shall, if such person so requires, take such person without unnecessary delay to the nearest gazetted officer of Enforcement superior in rank to him or a magistrate.

(3) If such requisition is made, the officer of Enforcement may detain the person making it until he can bring him before the gazetted officer of Enforcement or the magistrate referred to in sub-section (2).

(4) The gazetted officer of Enforcement or the magistrate before whom any such person is brought shall, if he sees no reasonable ground for search, forthwith discharge the person but otherwise shall direct that search be made.

(5) Before making a search under the provisions of this section, the officer of Enforcement shall call upon two or more persons to attend and witness the search and may issue an order in writing to them or any of them so to do; and the search shall be made in the presence of such persons and a list of all documents seized in the course of such search shall be prepared by such officer and signed by such witnesses.

(6) No female shall be searched by any one excepting a female.

Note: To obtain an aligned printout please download the PDF or WORD / EXCEL version to your machine and then use respective software to print the story.