Assessment of goods:
The provisions regarding the assessment of goods are contained in section 17 of the Customs Act. The provisions of the section 17 provide as under:-
(a) Duty to be self-assessed by the importer/exporter: An importer entering any imported goods under section 46, or an exporter entering any export goods under section 50, shall, save as otherwise provided in section 85 (i.e. stores allowed to be warehoused without assessment of duty), self-assess the duty, if any, leviable on such goods.
(b) Verification by proper officer: The proper officer may verify the self-assessment of such goods and for this purpose, examine or test any impor ted goods or export goods or such part thereof as may be necessary.
For verification of self-assessment, the proper officer may require the importer, exporter or any other person to produce any contract, broker‟s note, insurance policy, catalogue or other document, whereby the duty leviable on the imported goods or export goods, as the case may be, can be ascertained, and to furnish any information required for such ascertainment which is in his power to produce or furnish, and thereupon, the importer, exporter or such other person shall produce such document or furnish such information.
(c) Reassessment of duty by the proper officer if self -assessment not done correctly: Where it is found on verification, examination or testing of the goods or otherwise tha t the selfassessment is not done correctly, the proper officer may, without prejudice to any other action which may be taken under this Act, re-assess the duty leviable on such goods.
(d) Speaking order for re-assessment to be passed unless the importer agrees with the reassessment: Where any re-assessment done is contrary to the self-assessment done by the importer or exporter regarding valuation of goods, classification, exemption or concessions of duty availed consequent to any notification issued therefor under this Act and in cases other than those where the importer or exporter, as the case may be, confirms his acceptance of the said re-assessment in writing, the proper officer shall pass a speaking order on the re – assessment, within 15 days from the date of re-assessment of the bill of entry or the shipping bill, as the case may be.
(e) Audit at custom office / premises of importer or exporter: Where re-assessment has not been done or a speaking order has not been passed on re-assessment, the proper officer may audit the assessment of duty of the imported goods or export goods at his office or at the premises of the importer or exporter, as may be expedient, in such manner as may be prescribed.