INSTRUCTION NO. 4/2011 [F. NO. 279/MISC./M-20/2011-ITJ], DATED 9-3-2011 – Several instructions and directions have been issued by the CBDT from time to time emphasizing upon the need for timely filing of appeals/SLPs in the Supreme Court and proper conduct of litigation. However, a number of SLPs are being filed with inordinate delay. In the wake of repeated displeasure expressed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on the present state of affairs, Ld. Attorney General for India has advised the Board to work towards a “Zero Delay Regime” in the matter of filing of appeals/SLPs.
CORRIGENDUM- Dated: April 4, 2011 – In the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 25/2011-Service Tax, dated the 31st March, 2011 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 283 (E), dated the 31st March, 2011, in rule 9,-
INSTRUCTION No. 5/2011 [F.No. 225/61/2011-IT(A-II)], dated 30-3-2011- The Hon’ble Supreme Court has made the following observations in an order dated 12-8-2010 in the case of CIT, Delhi v. Bharti Cellular Ltd. [2010] 193 Taxman 97 (SC): “We are directing CBDT to issue directions to all its Officers, that in such cases, the Department need not proceed only by the contracts placed before the officers. With the emergence of our country as one of the BRIC countries and with the technological advancement matters such as present one will keep on recurring and hence time has come when Department should examine technical experts so that the matters could be disposed of expeditiously and further it would enable the appellate Forums, including this Court, to decide legal issues based on the factual foundation. We do not know the constraints of the Department but time has come when the Department should understand that when the case involves revenue running into crores, technical evidence would help the Tribunals and courts to decide matters expeditiously based on factual foundation.”
It has been provided that if the RSP is not affixed or marked on goods when they are cleared in the course of sale from the factory of a manufacturer to the brand owner, the wholesale price declared by the manufacturer would be deemed to be the tariff value for the payment of duty. This has been provided through the insertion of a proviso in Notification No.20/2001-CE (NT), dated 30th April, 2001 through amendment Notification No. 12/2011-CE (NT), dated 24th March, 2011. Since the process of labelling or re-labelling constitutes a process of “manufacture”, duty on the tariff value (based on the actual RSP) would once again be payable as and when the brand owner labels the goods with the RSP and clears them for further sale. The garments purchased by the brand owner being duty-paid, he would also be entitled to claim credit and utilize that for the payment of duty when he clears the goods after affixing the RSP.
The undersigned is directed to refer to the Instruction No. 49, dated 12-3-2010 and Instruction No. 71, dated 12-11-2010 on the subject mentioned above. Instruction No. 71 was issued to amend the point No. IV of the Instruction No. 49. It was clarified that the units in FTWZ in sector specific SEZ can store goods required for development of the zone or setting up of units or for manufacturing and export/DTA sale of goods and services or finished products of the units in that particular sector specific zone.
Please refer to D.O.F. No. 275/68/91-CX.8A (Pt.), dated 17.-1.1992 addressed by the Member (Central Excise) to all Principal Collectors, and to all Collectors of Customs and Central Excise vide which a copy of Cabinet Secretariat’s O.M. No. 53/3/6/91-Cab. dated 31.12.1991 was circulated pertaining to constitution of a committee to give clearance to the disputes between the Government Department and another and one Government Department and a Public Sector Enterprises and Public Enterprises themselves before these are agitated in a Court/ Tribunal. Reference is also invited to subsequent O.Ms issued by the Cabinet Secretariat and the Circulars/ Instructions issued by the Board from time to time on this issue.
In continuation of the earlier Instruction dated 17th March, 2011 on the subject matter, it is to intimate that following two laboratories have been granted accreditation by FSSAI for testing for radioactive contamination of food items imported from Japan besides BRIT, Navi Mumbai (copy enclosed): Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, 19, University Road, New Delhi-110007. Monarch Biotech Private Limited, 37A-SIDCO Industrial Estate, Thrumazhisai, Chennai-602107
Following the recent earthquake in Japan and concerns of possible radiation leakage from the affected nuclear plants, there is a need to increase surveillance of food imports from Japan to ensure that they are safe for consumption. Accordingly, it has been decided that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) would test samples of food articles, particularly fresh produce exported from Japan after March 11, 2011, such as sea food, fruits, vegetables and meat for radioactive contamination. FSSAI has directed their Authorised Officers to have the food articles tested for radioactive contamination from BRIT (Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology), Navi Mumbai before issuing ‘No Objection Certificate’ to Customs.
Consequent upon the printing and publishing of the Budget Bulletins, 2011 (both Customs and Central Excise & Service Tax), the Directorate of Publicity and Public Relations has subsequently been informed that the following corrections are required to be incorporated in the above said Budget Bulletins, 2011.
Now CBEC has clarified that, “The exemption provided under Notification.17/2006-Central Excise (NT) dated 01.08.2006 and Notification No. 39i2004-Central Excise (NT), dated 25.11.2004, as amended, is available to interalia assessee who paid duty of excise less than Rs.1crore including the amount paid by utilization of CENVAT credit. It is, therefore, clarified that the assessees or class of assessees who are not required to file the ER-4, ER-5 & ER-6 returns because of the above exemption, are not required to file such returns electronically even if the duty paid by them including the amount paid by utilization of CENVAT credit in the preceding financial year exceeds Rs.10l acs.”
