The Delhi Customs Brokers Association (DCBA) organised its 39th Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) on June 25, 2023 in New Delhi. The AGM was participated by a large number of DCBA Members to discuss the activities of the DCBA during the last one year and future course of action in view of some pressing issues including day-to-day operational issues and malpractices happening in different ports/customs locations. The AGM has also approved some important constitutional amendments to eradicate ambiguities, adopt digitalization and benefit the Customs Brokers at large irrespective of whether their parent license is issued by the Delhi Customs Commissionerate or some other Customs Commissionerates in the country.
The constitutional amendments are as follows:
- Eliminating the process for intimation by members regarding the suspension of their license to claim waiver of all charges of DCBA from the revocation of license till restoration of the same with supporting evidence of the Restoration of License.
- If any vacancy occurs in any year for the President post during the intervening period between the two Annual General Meetings, the Vice President will take additional charge as Officiating President till the next AGM. If the ensuing AGM is a non-election AGM, the House of this AGM will elect the President for the next one year.
- The provision of digital issuance of membership certificates will be inserted in the existing provision.
- The provision of voting through EVM/ any other technology introduced in the near future will be inserted in Section 19(a) of The Articles of Association.
- The Customs Circular No. 52/2022 of June 2022, says “Each custom broker shall enroll himself as a member of the Customs Broker Association at every jurisdiction he operates if there is such an association registered in the customs station, where the customs broker is operating and recognized by the Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be.” In view of the mandate of this circular, DCBA will accept the same charges from all the members irrespective of the jurisdiction of issuance of Customs Broker’s License to offer its membership, with effect from the date of this circular.
The 39th AGM of DCBA also reiterated its claim to get recognised by the Noida Customs Commissionerate as per the Rules of the CBLR, so that there is no requirement of taking additional membership of another recognized CB Association operating here.
Significantly, the DCBA AGM has decided the immediate implementation of the creation of the Welfare Fund to benefit the F card holders and proprietor/partner/director/nominated person of the firm/company. It is pertinent to mention that prior to the AGM, the present Managing Committee of DCBA constituted a special committee on formulating the mechanism of welfare fund disbursement and the committee submitted its recommendations at the 39th AGM. The recommendations have been unanimously approved by the members present at the AGM and suggested further actions on the disbursement mechanism.
Yet another important decision approved unanimously in the AGM has been to adopt the principle of DCBA’s green list members i.e Members not in dues being entertained by various custodians and shipping lines to the extent of acceptance of cheques of such members upto a determined value and DCBA standing guarantee for such members cheques towards handling operations and security deposits. This was a welcome move as besides such members being benefitted DCBA shall also be having more members paying the association dues in time to avail this facility. A mechanism for the implementation of the facility shall be adopted in due course.
The AGM has also urged further actions on the No Dues Certificate so that the same can be implemented at the earliest for the larger interest of the entire CB fraternity by taking care of the legal aspects in this regard.
