Home Case Index All Cases Central Excise Central Excise + SC Central Excise - 2019 (5) TMI SC This
Forgot password New User/ Regiser ⇒ Register to get Live Demo
2019 (5) TMI 657 - SC - Central ExciseInterest on differential duty - price escalation clause - Whether interest is payable on the differential excise duty with retrospective effect that become payable on the basis of escalation clause under Section 11AB of the Central Excise Act, 1944? - Whether the decision in SKF case [2009 (7) TMI 6 - SUPREME COURT] and also in International Auto [2010 (1) TMI 151 - SUPREME COURT] lay down the correct law having regard to the decision of this Court in MRF case [1997 (3) TMI 104 - SUPREME COURT] which was in fact rendered by a Bench of three Judges. HELD THAT:- The scheme of the Central Excise Act and the Rules are a separate code. Section 11A is a provision for recovery. If there is a non-levy, non-payment, short-levy or short-payment, the same becomes recoverable under Section 11A. If there is any of the four contingencies referred to in Section 11A, then Section 11AB is attracted. The working of the parent Act is intricately intertwined with the rules, the scope of which we have already referred to. Therefore, if the value which is declared by way of self-assessment, by way of rule 6 and on which the duty is paid is not the full value then under the scheme of Section 11A read with Section 11AB and the Rules, the assessee incurs liability for interest when in a case where there is full value found and it dates back to the date of removal. In this case admittedly that at the time goods were removed the price was not fixed. The assessee was fully conscious of the fact that it was subject to variation. Assessee must be imputed with knowledge that the value it was declaring was amenable to upward revision. The circumstances were indeed clearly both apposite and appropriate for the assessee to invoke the provisions of Rule 7 and seek an order for provisional assessment. In fact, take the example of manufacturer A and manufacturer B. Both remove goods under contracts which contain escalation clauses. Manufacturer A invokes Rule 7. It seeks permission for removal of goods on provisional assessment. Though an order of final assessment has to be passed within a period of time it is capable of being extended without any time limit. Manufacturer-A on the basis of upward revision of the price with retrospective effect and acknowledging the value to be the value as provisionally assessed and as enhanced by the escalation arrived at under the escalation clause pays the duty when the escalation comes into effect on the difference in the value under Rule 7. Apart from payment of the differential excise duty manufacturer A becomes also liable to pay interest from the date when the escalation would come into play on the arrival at the higher price having retrospective operation. Manufacturer B in identical facts clears the goods on the basis of self-assessment even though he is fully aware that the value of the goods which is paid is not fixed and is amenable to upward revision. He deliberately chooses not to go in for provisional assessment. Section 11A was held to be a recovery provision as regards non-levy, non-paid, short-levy, short-paid or erroneously refunded duty. Levy of excise duty under Rule 10 of the Excise Rules, 1944 on the basis of approved classification list or price list was found to be correct levy. It did not give rise to short-levy. Undoubtedly, the amended provisions of Section 11A empowered recovery of duty even in a case where the classification list has been approved earlier and it would operate from the date of removal and not from the date on which show cause was issued. Section 11A and section 11AB as it stood at the relevant time did not provide read with the rules any other point of time when the amount of duty could be said to be payable and so equally the interest. - Decision and views expressed in SKF case(supra) and International Auto (supra) sustained. Appeal dismissed.
|