Amendment of section 130.
86. In section 130 of the Customs Act, after sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be inserted and shall be deemed to have been inserted with effect from the 1st day of July, 2003, namely:—
"(2A) The High Court may admit an appeal after the expiry of the period of one hundred and eighty days referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2), if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing the same within that period."
Notes on Clauses:
Clause 86 of the Bill seeks to amend section 130 of the Customs Act retrospectively with effect from 1st day of July, 2003 so as to make express provision empowering the High Court to condone the delay in filing of appeals beyond the period of one hundred and eighty days, as the Supreme Court and the High Courts in certain judgments have held that the High Courts have no power to condone the delay under the said provision. The amendment is of procedural nature hence it shall apply to all the appeals and review petition including the application or appeal or review petition, as the case may be, pending before Supreme Court or High Court.