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1994 Supreme(SC) 1205

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
B. P. Jeevan Reddy, S. B. Majmudar
SANTRAM PAPER MILLS NADIAD, APPELLANT
Versus
COLLECTOR OF CENTRAL EXCISE, AHMEDABAD, RESPONDENT.
Civil Appeal No. 3828 of 1989,
decided on November 30, 1994.

The court's decision was influenced by the timing of bringing forth new evidence and the inability of the appellant to establish the working result of the classification tests at a late stage.

Headnote:

millboard - classification of product - The dispute in this appeal is whether the product manufactured by the appellant is wrapping/packing paper or millboard. The court considered the classification criteria based on Trade Notices issued in 1955 and 1977, and dismissed the appeal.

Fact of the Case:

The appellant filed a classification list treating the product as wrapping/packing paper, but later a notice sought to revise the classification to millboard. The authorities confirmed the show-cause notice, and the appellant's appeal before the Tribunal failed.

Finding of the Court:

The court dismissed the appeal, stating that the appellant cannot establish the working result of the classification tests at a late stage. The court also noted that the appellant being prosecuted in a criminal court is a separate matter.

Issues: Dispute over product classification as wrapping/packing paper or millboard, application of different classification tests, and the timing of bringing forth new evidence.

Ratio Decidendi: The court considered the classification criteria based on Trade Notices issued in 1955 and 1977, and concluded that the appellant cannot establish the working result of the classification tests at a late stage.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed with no costs.

ORDER

1. The dispute in this appeal is whether the product manufactured by the appellant is wrapping/packing paper or millboard. We are concerned herein with the period 1980-81. For this period, the appellant filed a classification list treating the said product as wrapping/packing paper. It was approved. But, later a notice was given seeking to revise the classification. The authorities now wanted to treat it as millboard. After considering the explanation furnished by the appellant, the first authority confirmed the show-cause notice. An appeal preferred by the appellant before the Tribunal failed.

2. The contention of Shri Dave, learned counsel for the appellant is that the authorities have gone by the test evolved in Trade Notice issued on 14-4-1955 (which evolved the test of grammage per square meter), whereas, according to Trade Notice issued on 19-11-1977, the test evolved is one of "thickness". In other words, it is pointed out that while according to 1955 Trade Notice, the density of 180 gms per square meter makes it a millboard, according to the latter, the thickness exceeding C5O kilometers makes it a millboard. It is, however, admitted that this latter Trade Notice was not brought to the notice of the Tribunal. We do not also know whether in fact the application of these two tests would make any difference in fact. We cannot permit the appellant to establish the working result of these two tests at this late stage.

3. The learned counsel for the appellant brought to our notice that the appellant is also being prosecuted in a criminal court. It is obvious that the said case shall be determined on its own merits and according to law, uninhibited by the findings of the Tribunal.

4. The appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs.

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