TMI BlogCustoms RefundX X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... prescribed in the Customs Refund Application (Form) Regulations, 1995, to the jurisdictional Deputy/Assistant Commissioner of Customs. 3. Relevant dates for submission of a refund application: 3.1 In terms of Section 27 of the Customs Act, 1962 an application for refund is required to be filed within one year from the date of payment of duty and interest. Normally, the time limit of one year is computed from the date of payment of duty, however, in following situations, such time limit is computed differently: (a) In case of goods which are exempt from payment of duty by an ad-hoc exemption order issued under Section 25(2) of the Customs Act, 1962 the limitation of one year is to be computed from the date of issue of such order; (b) Where duty becomes refundable as a consequence of judgment, decree, order or direction of the appellate authority, Appellate Tribunal or any court, the limitation of one year is to be computed from the date of such judgment, decree, order or direction. (c) Where any duty is paid provisionally under Section 18 of the Customs Act, 1962 the limitation of one year is to be computed from the date of adjustment of duty after the final a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tral Government. 5. Unjust enrichment: 5.1 In terms of Section 27(2) of the Customs Act, 1962 the concerned Assistant/Deputy Commissioner of Customs has to examine the facts of the case and the material placed before him in order to determine whether the amount claimed by an applicant is refundable to him or not. Further, the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner of Customs should go through the details of audited balance sheet and other related financial records, certificate of the Chartered Accountant etc., submitted by the applicant in order to decide whether the applicant had not passed on the incidence of the duty and interest thereon, if any, to any other person. The Order-in-Original passed by the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner of Customs on the refund application should be a speaking order providing specific details including the relevant financial records that are relied upon to arrive at a conclusion whether the burden of duty or interest, as the case may be, has been passed on or not. Refund orders issued in a routine and casual manner thereby sanctioning the amount but crediting the same to the Consumer Welfare Fund without going through the factual details of the case ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ny document is required by the department, the same shall be informed at this stage of initial scrutiny itself within 10 working days of the initial receipt. This will avoid any chance for raising repeated queries to the applicant, in a piece-meal manner and bring certainty in dealing with refund applications. (b) Processing of refund applications and their disposal: Application found complete in all respects after scrutiny, shall be processed on 'first-come-first served' basis. If refund is due, an order for refund is required to be passed in terms of Section 27(2) of the Customs Act, 1962 or where the claim for refund is found liable to be rejected, as the case may be, a speaking order shall be passed giving complete reasons for the order. Further, the order should indicate that the aspect of unjust enrichment has been examined based on the applicable guidelines. The order should also contain the findings of adjudicating authority on the documents produced in support of the claim and the basis for determining the amount as either refundable to the claimant or payable to the Consumer Welfare Fund or the claim not being admissible. (c) Issue of cheque: Whe ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... about the status of their applications. It is further stated that the manual records maintained for various purposes may continue. In pursuance of CVC's instructions, all Commissioners of Customs shall establish a mechanism for maintenance of a comprehensive database in their respective website, indicating the receipt, acknowledgement, action taken for disposal (either payment or rejection) of refund applications and those pending at the end of the month. The details of refund application such as name of the claimant, file number, date of application, amount of refund claimed, date of its acknowledgement shall be indicated in chronological order by the date of its receipt. The applications may be serially numbered for each year and shall be shown in a single list indicating their respective status distinctly. The illustrative status that could be mentioned for easy understanding of any applicant may include the following: (i) refund application received but pending for scrutiny and acknowledgement (ii) refund application acknowledged for its completeness (iii) refund application found incomplete and returned for rectification of deficiency (iv) refund a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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