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2015 (2) TMI 794 - HC - Central ExciseProvisional Assessment - Demand of interest on payment of differential duty before formal finalization of assessment - Held that:- Rule 7 and its subrules if read together would denote as to how the Revenue secures itself against any provisional assessment. If on a provisional assessment, certain amount of duty is paid, but it is not accurate and correct, then, the final assessment is contemplated on a finalization of the assessment. Upon finalizing, it is possible that the Revenue will determine the duty liability and to that of something more that has been recovered in the provisional assessment. When that exercise is finalized and consequent thereon that the Assessee shall be liable to pay interest on any amount payable to the Central Government. The liability to pay interest arises on any amount payable to Central Government and consequent to order for final assessment under Rule 7 subrule (3). We are in agreement with the Assessee in the present case that the later part of subrule (4) is not attracted. The liability to pay interest on any amount payable to Central Government consequent to order for final assessment is not a situation to be found in the present case. It is not the argument of the Revenue that what was paid by the Assessee as differential duty and prior to finalizing of the assessment, is not correct, accurate or proper computation of the liability. Having found that the final assessment resulted in nothing due and payable to the Government, we do not find any justification then to recover interest. If the interest was to be recovered and was indeed payable on the date on which the Assessee made payment of differential duty and prior to finalization of the assessment, then, the Rule would have specifically said so. In the absence of any such stipulation in the Rules the dictum in the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in J.K. Industries Ltd. [2011 (3) TMI 373 - KARNATAKA HIGH COURT] would apply. If that principle can be applied, then, there was no liability to pay interest. If the liability to pay interest between the time or the period of provisional assessment and payment of differential duty until the final assessment has to be read in the Rule, that is not possible. The interest in this case is not payable merely on equitable considerations. Such being the position, we do not find that the Tribunal was justified in dismissing the Assessee's Appeal. It is unfortunate that the Tribunal ignores and brushes aside even orders of this Court. Had the Tribunal noted the facts in Ispat Industries Ltd. [2010 (10) TMI 178 - BOMBAY HIGH COURT] and Tata Motors Ltd. [2011 (3) TMI 531 - CESTAT, MUMBAI] it would have possibly concluded that those orders would bind it in this case. Decided in favor of appellant.
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