Judgment

Nanavati, J.-In this batch of cases, the question that arises for consideration is whether a Central Excise notification comes into force with effect from the date on which it is printed in the Govern­ment Gazette or from the date it is made available to public.

2. To illustrate the circumstances in which this question arises, we will state the facts of Civil Appeal No. 4569 of 1989. The company involved in this appeal is the New Tobacco Company Limited. It was earlier known as Duncan Tobacco Company. It is engaged in manufactur­ing cigarettes. Since 1979, it used to pay duty on cigarettes manufac­tured by it at the rate fixed by Central Excise Notification No. 30/79 dated 1st March, 1979, as amended from time to time. It was rescinded with effect from 30th November, 1982 by Notification No. 284/82-C dated 30th November, 1982, which prescribed new rates of excise duty. Between 30th November, 1982 and 8th December, 1982, the Company cleared 79,456 million cigarettes and paid duty thereon at the rate fixed by the Notification dated 1st March, 1979, as it did not know that a new notification was issued on 30th November, 1982. As the company had paid duty at a lesser rate, a Sho