Swadeshi
Polytex Ltd. Vs. Collector of Central Excise [1989] INSC 357 (23 November 1989)
Mukharji,
Sabyasachi (J) Mukharji, Sabyasachi (J) Ray, B.C. (J)
CITATION:
1990 AIR 301 1989 SCR Supl. (2) 262 1990 SCC (2) 358 JT 1989 Supl. 347 1989
SCALE (2)1208
CITATOR
INFO : F 1992 SC1532 (4)
ACT:
Central
Excises and Salt Act, 1944: Sections 4 and 35L'Assessee-Manufacturing polyester
fibre--Inputs ethylene glycol and dimethye tetraphthalate--Whether entitled to
claim set off of duty on ethylene glycol.
HEAD NOTE:
The
appellant was engaged in the manufacture of polyester fibre (man-made) falling
under tariff item 18 of the erstwhile Central Excise Tariff. In its
manufacture, the appellant was using, among other things, ethylene glycol and
DMT (Dimethyle Tetraphthalate)--duty paid ethylene glycol falling under tariff
item No. 68. During the course of manufacture of polyester fibre, two basic raw
materials DMT and Glycol interact and thereby certain waste comes into
existence. This interaction also gave rise to methanol, a by-product.
Notification
No. 201/79 dated 4.6.1979 exempted all excisable goods on which duty of excise
was leviable and in the manufacture of which any goods failing under tariff
item 68 had been used, from so much of the duty of excise as was equivalent to
the duty of excise paid on the imputs.
Exemption
notification No. 201/79 was amended by notification No. 102/81 with effect from
11th April, 1981. By this amended notification, a
second proviso was added which provided that the credit of the duty allowed in
respect of inputs could not be denied or varied on the ground that part of the
inputs was contained in any waste, refuse or byproduct arising during the
manufacture, irrespective of the fact that such waste, refuse or by-product was
exempt from the whole of duty of excise leviable thereon or was chargeable to
nil rate of duty.
Earlier,
in the case of proforma credit procedure under rule 56-A of the Central Excise
Rules, clarification had been issued by the Collector of Central Excise, under
trade notice dated 19.7.1980 to the effect that proforma credit was permissible
even where at an intermediate state of manufacture, a final product which was
fully exempt from duty came into being, provided that the fully exempted
product was consumed in 263 the production or manufacture of the finished
product. This trade notice categorically stated that the clarification would
also be applicable to exemption notification No. 201/79.
The
appellant claimed set off of duty paid on ethylene glycol used in the
manufacture of polyester fibre under notification No. 201/79. The Assistant
Collector of Central Excise held on 6.8.1980 that no proforma credit was
allowable in respect of ethylene glycol used/consumed in the methanol, the
ethylene glycol residual waste and polyester fibre waste.
The
Collector of Central Excise (Appeals), however, allowed the appeals filed by
the appellant and set aside the Assistant Collector's order and the demands.
The Collector observed that the procedure under notification No. 201/79 was
materially the same as the procedure under rule 56A of the Central Excise Rule.
The
revenue went up in appeal before the Customs, Excise
was
contended on behalf of the revenue that prior to 11th April, 1981 there was no provision in notification No. 201/79 entitling
the manufacturer to obtain credit of the duty of excise already paid on the
inputs resulting in waste or by-products or refuse which arose in the
manufacture of excisable products which used the inputs; that the trade notice
issued pertained to rule 56-A and not to the notification; that the rule and
notifications were different enactments and the provisions of one could not be
read into another even after 11th April, 1981; that the exemption was only in
respect of duty on inputs in the manufacture of excisable goods and their
waste, by-product or refuse; and that since methanol was not excisable, it was
not eligible for set off of duty on the glycol content in its manufacture.
On
behalf of the appellant, however, it was contended that glycol was used totally
in the production of polyester fibre; that methanol resulted out of the
reaction of DMT and glycol; and that the Government always maintained parity
between rule 56-A and notification No. 201/79.
The
Tribunal was of the opinion that the Collector's observation that the procedure
under notification No. 201/79 was materially the same as the procedure under
rule 56-A and consequently the amending notification deemed to have
retrospective effect was not, in the absence of any such indication,
acceptable. In the premises, the Tribunal allowed the appeals, of the Revenue.
264
Allowing the appeals, this Court,
HELD:
(1) On an analysis and comparison of the notifications No. 201/79, No. 102/81
and the circulars, it is clear that the clarification in the form of trade
notice issued in respect of rule 56-A was as much applicable to that rule as to
notification No. 201/79. [272D]
(2) It
is true that when in a fiscal provision, is benefit of exemption is to be
considered, this' should be strictly considered. But the strictness of the
construction of exemption notification does not mean that the full effect to
the exemption notification should not be given by any circuitous process of
interpretation. After all, exemption notifications are meant to be implemented
and trade notices in these matters clarify the stand of the Government for the
trade. [272E-F]
(3)
The quantity of ethylene glycol required to produce a certain quantum of
polyester fibre is determined by the chemical reaction. It is not possible to
use a lesser quantum of the ethylene glycol to prevent methanol from arising
for producing a certain quantity of polyester fibre. It is not as if the
appellants have used excess ethylene glycol wantedly to produce the methanol.
It is also clear that the appellants are not engaged in the production of
methanol but in the production of polyester fibre. [272H; 273A]
(4)
The Tribunal, in the instant case, failed to interpret the words of the
exemption notification No. 201/79 properly and fully. The said notification
exempted all excisable goods on which the duty of excise was leviable and in
the manufacture of which any goods falling under Tariff Item No. 68 (i.e.
inputs) had been used from so much of the duty of excise already paid on the
inputs. The excisable goods, namely, polyester fibre, were not wholly exempt
from duty nor chargeable to nil rate of duty. It cannot be read in the
notification that the notification would not be available in case non-excisable
goods arise during he course of manufacture. In fact, the Tribunal seems to
have erred in not bearing in mind that exemption notification was pressed in
service in respect of polyester fibre which is excisable goods and not in
respect of methanol which arises as a byproduct as a part and parcel of
chemical reaction. It appears further on a comparison of the rule 56-a and the
notification No. 201/79 that these deal with identical situations. [272F;
273C-D] Indian Aluminium Co. Ltd. & Anr. v.A.K. Bandyopadhyay & Ors.,
[1980] ELT 146, referred to.
265
& CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 398890 of 1988.
From
Order No. 590-592/1988 dated 18.8.1988 of the Customs Excise and Gold (Control)
Appellate Tribunal, New Delhi in Appeal Nos. E 375/84-D, S.A. No. 991/88-D
& 992/88-D with C.O. No. 283/ 84-D.
V. Lakshmikumaran,
Madhava Rao and V. Balachandran for the Appellant.
A.K. Ganguli
and P. Parmeshwaran for the Respondent.
Judgment
of the Court was delivered by SABYASACHI MUKHARJI, J. This is an appeal under
section 35L of the Central Excises & Salt Act, 1944 (hereinafter referred
to as 'the Act') against the judgment and order dated 18th August, 1988 passed by the Customs, Excise &
Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal, New Delhi (hereinafter referred to as 'the tribunal').
The
appellant was at all relevant times engaged in the manufacture, inter alia, of
polyester fibre (man-made) failing under tariff item 18 of the erstwhile
Central Excise Tariff. In the manufacture of the aforesaid, the appellant was
using, amongst other inputs, ethylene glycol and DMT (Dimethyl Tetraphthalate)--duty
paid ethylene glycol falling under tariff item No. 68 of the erstwhile Central
Excise Tariff received by the appellant and used in the manufacture.
The
notification No. 201/79 dated 4.6.79, mentioned hereinafter, exempted,
according to the appellant, all excisable goods on which duty of excise was leviable
and in the manufacture of which any goods falling under tariff item 68 had been
used, from so much of the duty of excise as was equivalent to the duty of excise
paid on the inputs. The appellants claimed set off of duty on ethylene glycol
used in the manufacture of polyester fibre under notification No. 201/79 dt.
23.6.1979. In response to the appellant's seeking set off the duty paid on
ethylene glycol, they received a letter from the Assistant Collector of Central
Excise, Ghaziabad, dated 6th August, 1980 by which the Asstt. Collector held
that no proforma credit was allowable in respect of ethylene glycol for the
following:
(a)
Methanol which is not excisable and is cleared without pay266 ment of duty; (b)
Glycol residual waste which was being destroyed by the appellants by throwing
in the field; and (c) Polyester fibre waste which was used in the recovery of
DMT and exempt from payment of duty under Central Excise Notification dt. 19th
May, 1976.
The
appellants were further directed to furnish the exact percentage of ethylene
glycol content used/consumed in the methanol, the ethylene glycol residual
waste and polyester fibre waste; and that not to utilise the proforma credit or
set off credit till the data was furnished and the same was authenticated by
the Chemical Engineer. The classification list submitted by the appellants was
modified in terms of the said letter.
Thereafter,
classification list was filed claiming set off of duty on ethylene glycol
falling under tariff item 68 under exemption notification No. 201/79 as amended
by notification No. 102/81 dt. 13th May, 1981. By this amended notification, a
second proviso was added which provided that the credit of the duty allowed in
respect of inputs could not be denied or varied on the ground that part of thee
input was contained in any waste, refuge or by-product arising during the
manufacture, irrespective of the fact that such waste, refuse or by produce was
exempt from the whole of duty of excise leviable thereon or was chargeable to
nil rate of duty.
Hence,
it is the case of the appellants that from 11th April, 1981 even though some part of the input
may be contained in any waste, refuge or by-product which is chargeable to nil
rate of duty, the credit of the duty paid on the inputs could not be denied. By
this order the set off of duty in respect of duty paid ethylene glycol was
allowed from 11th
April, 1981 onwards
except in the case of ethylene glycol used/ consumed in polyester waste used
for recovery of DMT on the ground that this polyester waste was chargeable to
nil rate of duty. Similarly, duty paid on ethylene glycol which was used for
recovery of DMT was held not to be allowable while paying duty on polyester fibre.
Aggrieved
thereby, an appeal against the said order to the Collector of Central Excise,
Ghaziabad was filed.
The
main contentions of the appellants were that the ethylene glycon received in
the factory after payment of duty was consumed in the manufacture of polyester fibre
only. During the course of manufacture of polyester fibre, two basic raw
materials DMT and Glycol interact and thereby certain waste comes into
existence. This 267 waste is recycled with glycol for the recovery of DMT in
DMT recovery plant, within the factory. Hence, the entire set off of duty was
to be allowed since no part of DMT produced was diverted for any other use
other than production of polyester fibre nor was it taken outside the factory.
The appellants contended that in case of proforma credit procedure under rule
56-A of the Central Excise Rules, clarification had been issued by the
Collector of Central Excise, under trade notice No. 72-CE/80 dt. 19.7. 1980 to
the effect that proforma credit is permissible even where at an intermediate
state of manufacture, a final product which is fully exempt from duty comes
into being, provided that the fully exempted product is consumed in the
production or manufacture of the finished product. This trade notice categorically
states that this clarification would also be applicable to exemption
notification No. 201/79.
By an
order dated 17th
November, 1981 the Asstt.
Collector held that the appellants were entitled to credit of duty paid on the
ethylene glycol only to the extent of the percentage content as determined by
the Chief Chemical Engineer, CRCL, New Delhi. The order covered the period from 17.7.1979 to 10.4. 1981.
As
mentioned before, the notification was amended from 11th April, 1981 whereby
the credit of the duty on any inputs was not to be denied to any waste, refuse
or byproduct arising during the manufacture of the output irrespective of
whether the waste, refuse or by-product was chargeable to nil rate of duty or
not.
By a
letter dated 27th
November, 1981 the
appellants were informed that set off for Rs. 15,41,673.60 was inadmissible. By
a subsequent letter of the Superintendent of Central Excise, Ghaziabad, dated 17th December, 1981 it was stated to the appellant that they had
received Rs. 15,42,740.16 as set off which was inadmissible. The period
mentioned was 17.7.1979 to 10.4.1981. The appellants case was that this related
only to ethylene glycol content in methanol.
There
was a second appeal preferred to the Collector of Central Excise, Delhi, against
the order dated 17.11.1981 of the Asstt. Collector disallowing the set off of
duty credit paid on ethylene glycol content in methanol and ethylene glycol
waste and polyester fibre waste. A third appeal was filed before the Collector
(Appeals) against the duty demand of Rs. 15.42,740.16.
Thereafter,
the appellants received a letter dated 23rd April, 268 1983 from the
Superintendent of Central Excise which stated that the stand of the appellants
that the ethylene glycol contribute only H positive and not OH negative, has
been accepted by the Chief Chemical Engineer, CERL, New Delhi.
Consequently,
since the ethylene glycol content in the methanoi, wherein the ethylene glycol
contribute only H positive and not OH negative ions, the amount of inadmissible
set off would stand reduced to Rs.90,749,76.
The
aforesaid three appeals were decided by the 'Collector of Central Excise
(Appeals), by passing a single order dated 15th December, 1983, wherein he
observed that the procedure under notification No. 20 1/79 was materially the
same as the procedure under rule 56A and in the circumstances allowed all the
appeals and set aside the Asstt. Collector's order and the demands.
Aggrieved
thereby, the revenue went up in appeal before the tribunal. The tribunal after
examining the aforesaid contentions noted the contention of the parties. It was
the case of the revenue that prior to 1 Ith April, 1981 there was no provision
in notification No. 201/79 entitling the manufacturer to obtain credit of the
duty of excise already paid on the inputs resulting in waste or by-product or
refuge which arose in the manufacture of excisable products which used the
inputs. Hence, it was argued that the duty element in the quantity of glycol
which was contained in the glycol residual waster, polyester fibre waste and methanoi
(by-product) which was non-excisable, did not qualify for credit which could be
subsequently used for discharging duty liability on dutiable finished product.
The provision contained in notification No. 102/81 was not available prior to
11th April, 1981 it was submitted on behalf of revenue. It was further
submitted that the trade notice issued by Pune Collectorate pertained to rule
56-A only and not to the notificaion. It was further submitted that the rule
and notifications are different enactments and the provisions of one cannot be
read into another even after 11th April, 1981
and the exemption was only in respect of duty on inputs in the manufacture of
excisable goods and their waste, byproduct or refuge. It was submitted that
since methanol was not excisable, it was not eligible for set off of duty on
the glycol content in its manufature. On behalf of the appellants, however, it
was contended that glycol is used totally in the production of polyester fibre.
methanol results out of the reaction of DMT and glycol; and that the Government
always maintained parity between rule 56-A and notification No. 201/79, hence,
the appellants were eligible to full set off. On behalf of the appellants
reliance was placed on the decision of the High Court of Bombay in Indian Aluminium
Co. 269 Ltd. & Anr. v. A.K. Bandyopadhyay & Ors., [1980] ELT 146.
The
question that the tribunal had to decide was whether the set off of duty paid
on inputs was admissible only if the finished excisable goods manufactured
there from, was not exempted from duty. The process of manufacture and the
outcome of ethynol are not in dispute. The tribunal was of the view that the
judgment of the Bombay High Court had held that dross skimmings thrown off in
the process of manufacture and aluminium sheets were not end products or
finished or by-products merely because such refuge might fetch some price in
the market. The High Court had further held that proviso to sub-rule 56-A will
have no application and the skimmings cannot be said to be finished excisable
goods.
These
were not exempted from the whole of duty of excise or chargeable to nil rate of
duty whereas the sub-rule prescribed that the credit is admissible if the
material is used in the manufacture of finished goods which are exempt from
duty or are chargeable to nil rate of duty. The Tribunal was of the opinion
that the factual back ground' of the case before the Bombay High court was
different and therefore, it was of the opinion that the said decision was not
applicable in the instant case.
The
Tribunal was of the opinion that the revenue was right that rule 56A and
notification No. 201/79 were different enactments and the amendment to one
could not be read into the other. In that view of the matter, the Tribunal was
of the view that the Collector's observation that the procedure under
notification No.201/79 was materially the same as the procedure under rule 56A
and consequently the amending notification deemed to have retrospective effect
was not, in the absence of any such indication, acceptable. In the premises,
the Tribunal allowed the appeals and rejected the cross-objection.
The
question involved in these appeals, is whether the Tribunal was right. On
behalf of the appellants, Shri V. Lakshmikumaran contended that the Tribunal
failed to appreciate that the provisions of rule 56A and notification No.
201/79 were para materia. It appears to us that the provisions of rule 56A and
the notification No. 201/79 are identical. The relevant provisions of Rule 56A
are as follows:
"56A(1)
.........
56A(2)
The Collector may, on application made in this behalf and subject to the
conditions mentioned in sub-rule (3) and such other conditions as may, from
time to time, be prescribed by the Central Government, permit a manu270 facturer
of any excisable goods specified under sub-rule (1) to receive material or
component parts of finished product (like Asbestos Cement), on which the duty
of excise or the additional duty under section 3 of the Customs Tariff Act,
1975 (51 of 1975) (hereinafter referred to as the countervailing duty), has
been paid in his factory for the manufacture of these goods or the more
convenient distribution of finished product and allow a credit of the duty
already paid on such material or component parts or finished product, as the
case may be:
Provided
that no credit of duty shall be allowed in respect of any material or component
parts used in the manufacture of finished excisable goods-(i) if such finished
excisable goods produced by the manufacturer are exempt from the whole of the
duty of excise leviable thereon or are chargeable to 'nil' rate of duty, and
(ii) .........
Explanation.--Credit
of the duty allowed in respect of any material or component parts shall not be
denied or varied on the ground that part of such material or component parts is
contained in any waste, refuse or byproduct arising during the process of
manufacture of the finished excisable goods irrespective of the fact that such
waste, refuse or by-product is exempt from the whole of the duty of excise leviable
thereon or is chargeable to nil rate of duty or is not notified under sub-rule
( 1):
Provided
.........
The
notification No. 20 1/79 prior to 1Ith April, 1981 in so far as relevant for
the present purpose was as follows:
"Set
off of duty on all exciseable goods on use of duty paid goods falling under
Item 68 (Tariff Items I to 68): In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule
(1) of rule 8 of the Central Excise Rules, 1944, and in supersession of the notification
of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue)
No. 178/77--Central Excise, dated the 18th June, 1977, the Central Government
271 hereby exempts all excisable goods (hereinafter referred as "the said
goods"), on which the duty of excise is leviable and in the manufacture of
which any goods falling under Item No. 68 of the first Schedule to the Central
Excises and Salt Act, 1944 (1 of 1944) (hereinafter referred as "the
inputs") have been used, from so much of the duty of excise leviable
thereon as is equivalent to the duty of excise already paid on the inputs:
Provided
that the procedure set out in the Appendix to this notification is followed:
Provided
further that nothing contained in this notification shall apply to the said
goods which were exempted from the whole of the duty of excise leviable thereon
or are chargeable to nil rate of duty." The amending notification No.
102/81 dated 11th April, 1981 is as follows:
"Provided
also that credit of the duty allowed in respect of the inputs shall not be
denied or varied on the ground that part of such inputs is contained in any
waste, refuse or by-product arising during the process of manufacture of the
said goods, irrespective of the fact that such waste, refuse or by-product is
exempt from the whole of the duty of excise leviable thereon or is chargeable
to nil rate of duty or is not mentioned in the declaration referred to in the
Appendix to this notification." Central Board of Excise & Customs
issued Circular No. 6/81CX. 6, dated 31st January, 1981, which reads as
follows:
"Central
Excise--Rule 56A--Proforma Credit of duty paid on material/component parts
contained in waste, refuse or by-product arising during the process of
manufacture-regarding.
A
doubt has been raised whether proforma credit of duty paid on
material/component parts used in manufacture of the finished excisable goods
notified under rule 56A of the Central Excise Rules, 1944, is to be denied to
the extent such material or component parts are contained in any 272 waste,
refuse or by-product arising during the process of manufacture of the notified
finished excisable goods on the grounds that such waste, refuse or by-product
is either fully exempt from duty or not notified under subrule (1) of rule 56A.
2.
Since the Government's intention has been not to deny the benefit of proforma
credit in such situation, an Explanation has been added to sub-rule (2) of rule
56A, so as to remove the ambiguity in the rule. Notification No. 8/8 I-CE dated
31.1. 1981 amending rule 56-A is enclosed. It may, however, be noticed that
such credit cannot be utilised for payment of duty leviable on such waste,
refuse or by product." On an analysis and comparison of aforesaid, it is
clear that the clarification in the form of trade notice issued by the Pune Collectorate
in respect of rule 56A was as much applicable to that rule as to notification
No. 20 1/79. In the premises, it is clear that the Tribunal should have held
that even though a part of the ethylene glycol was contained in the by-product methanoi,
yet the credit of duty could not be reduced to the extent of the ethylene gIycol
contained in the mathanoi as ineligible. It is true that when in a fiscal
provision, if benefit of exemption is to be considered, this should be strictly
considered. But the strictness of the construction of exemption notification
does not mean that the full effect to the exemption notification should not be
given by any circuitous process of interpretation. After all, exemption
notifications are meant to be implemented and trade notices in these matters
clarify the stand of the Government for the trade. It is clear, therefore, that
the Tribunal failed to interpret the words of the exemption notification No.
201/79 properly and fully. The said notification exempted all excisable goods
on which the duty of excise was leviable and in the manufacture of which any
goods falling under Tariff Item 68 (i.e. inputs) had been used from so much of
the duty of excise leviable thereon as was equivalent to the duty of excise
already paid on the inputs. It is clear, however, that ethylene glycol was used
in the manufacture of polyester fibre. It appears that methanoi arises as a
part and parcel of the chemical reaction during the process of manufacture when
ethylene glycol interacts with DMT to produce polyester fibre. It is not
possible to use a lesser quantum of the ethylene glycol to prevent methanoi
from arising for producing a certain quantity of polyester fibre. Thus, the
quantity of ethylene glycol required to produce a certain quantum of polyester fibre
is determined 273 by the chemical reaction. It may be mentioned herein that it
is not as if the appellants have used excess ethylene glycol wantonly to
produce the-methanol. It is clear that the appellants are not engaged in the
production of methanol but in the production of polyester fibre. That position
is undisputed. Therefore, it appears that the Tribunal erred when it held that
the appellants were not entitled to a part of the credit of duty since ethylene
glycol when it interacts with DMT also gives rise to methanoi. This
construction would frustrate the object of exemption if something which
evidently arises out of the interaction is denied Credit.
Even
prior to amendment to notification No. 201/79 with effect from 1Ith April,
1987, the only situation where the credit of the duty paid on the inputs could
be denied was only where the final products were wholely exempt from the duty
of excise or chargeable to nil rate of duty. In the present case, the excisable
goods, namely, polyester fibre were not wholely exempt from duty nor chargeable
to nil rate of duty. It cannot be read in the notification that the
notification would not be available in case non-excisable goods arise during
the course of manufacture. In fact, the Tribunal seems to have erred in not
bearing in mind that exemption notification was pressed in service in respect
of polyester fibre which is excisable goods and not in respect of methanoi
which arises as a by-product as a part and parcel of chemical reaction. It
appears further on a comparison of the rule 56A and the notification No. 20
1/79 that these deal with the identical situation.
In
this connection, reference may be made to the decision of the Bombay High Court
in Indian Alurninium Co. and Anr. 's case (supra). In that case, the High Court
came to the conclusion that dross and skimmings were merely the refuge, scum or
rubbish thrown out in the process of manufacture of aluminium sheets and could
not be said to be the result of treatment, labour or manipulation whereby a new
and different article emerged with a distinctive name, character or use which
can ordinarily come to the market to be bought and sold. The High Court further
held in that case that merely because such refuse or scum may fetch some price
in the market does not justify it being called a by-product, much less an end
product or a finished product. In the light of that fact, the High Court was of
the view that in that case the end-product was aluminium sheets manufactured
from aluminium ingots and dross or skimmings. Therefore, the High Court was of
the view that these were neither 'goods' nor 'end products' nor 'finished
products' liable to duty under item 27 of Central Excise Tariff. The High Court
was of the view that under proviso to section 56 A (2) proforma credit was not
admissible if the material is used in the manufacture of finished excisable
goods which are exempt from duty 274 or chargeable to nil rate of duty. Since
dross and skimmings are mere 'ashes', these could not be said to be finished
excisable goods, nor they were exempt from the whole of duty of excise or
chargeable to 'nil' rate of duty. Therefore, proviso to sub-rule (2) of rule
56A would not have any application. The High Court was of the view that refuse
or skum thrown off during the process of manufacture could not by any stretch
of imagination be considered as a by-product and merely because such refuse or
scum may fetch some price in the market they could not be said to be 'finished
excisable goods'. Under rule 56A, the High Court was of the view, if the
material is used in the manufacture of any finished excisable goods, and during
the course of manufacture any non-excisable by-product emerged, then it could
not be said that the raw material was not used in the manufacture of the
finished excisable goods.
In our
opinion, the same analogy and reasoning would apply when the methanoi arises as
a result of chemical reaction and not as a result of any by-product. In the
instant case, the methanoi was nonexcisable. Just because methanoi arises as a
part and parcel of the chemical reaction during the process of manufacture, it
cannot be said that methanoi was not used in the manufacture of polyester fibre.
The intention of the Government is evident furthermore, from the trade notice
of Pune Collectorate No. 31/81.
The
Tribunal, therefore, should have taken into consideration the trade notice for
interpretation of exemption notification No. 201/79, which was para materia
with rule 56A.
In the
aforesaid view of the matter, we are of the opinion that the Tribunal was in
error in coming to the conclusion it did. The appeals are, therefore, allowed
and the order and the judgment of the Tribunal are set aside and the combined
orders of the Collector (Appeals) Nos. 284286/CE/MT/83 dated 15th December, 1983 are restored. In the facts and the
circumstances of the case, there will be no order as to costs.
R.S.S.
Appeals allowed.
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