CBEC – Good Friday – Relaxation for Prayers to persons who profess Christian faith

Immediate

F. No.296/42/2013-CX.9

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Revenue
Central Board of Excise & Customs

New Delhi, the 26^th March, 2013

To,

All Chief Commissioners of Central Excise and Customs, All Chief Commissioners of Central Excise,

All Chief Commissioners of Customs,

All Chief Commissioners of LTUs

Subject: Opening of offices during the last week of the March, 2013 – reg.

Sir/ Madam,

I am directed to refer to letter of even no. dated 15.03.2013 on the above subject. You will recall that you were requested to keep your offices, as a special measure, opened on 29^th, 30^th & 31^st March and also issue trade notices for the information of the trade. Now, I am to inform that the Reserve Bank of India vide their press release no.2012-2013/1606 dated 25.03.2013 has decided that all designated branches of agency banks & RBI offices conducting Government business will keep their counters open on March 29, 30 & 31, 2013 to accept Government taxes. The RBI has also urged all tax payers to remit taxes well before the last date to avoid last minute rush and facility for payment of taxes online and through select ATMs will also be available.

2. You are requested to kindly issue necessary trade notice and also give wide publicity to this facility extended to the tax payers.

3. I am also to inform that a Writ Petition No.2048/2013 is filed in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court challenging the contents of the letter Dated 15.03.2013. The Hon’ble High Court has directed, amongst other things, that such persons who profess Christian faith and are desirous of either being sanctioned full leave on both days or permission to pray at the Church for a limited duration on either day would be sanctioned leave or permission to leave offices to visit the Church at a short duration, keeping in view that those professing Christian faith would be a miniscule number working in such offices/ departments of the Central Government where revenue is generated. In case leave/permission is to be denied, the same would be strictly upon the condition of extreme emergency of duty and reason for the same with reference to the facts would be communicated to the employee concerned. Leave or permission should be approved latest by 10.00AM on March 28, 2013.