IMPORTANT POINT
Ruled for interpretation of Excise Tarrif.

JUDGMENT

Anil R. Dave, J.-The challenge in this appeal is to an order dated 1st April, 2003 passed by the Customs, Excise and Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal at New Delhi (in short ‘The Tribunal’) in E/APPEAL No. 1553/02-B whereby the Tribunal has dismissed the appeal filed by the appellant herein and upheld the Order-in-Appeal passed by the Commissioner (Appeals).

2. The issue under consideration in this appeal is whether the goods manufactured by the appellant are liable to be taxed as ‘Parts of Television Receivers’ falling under Tariff Entry 8529 of the Central Excise Tariff contained in the First Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985 (in short ‘the Tariff’) or as ‘Television Receivers’ under Tariff Entry 8528 of the Tariff, for the year 1989-90.

3. The appellant is a manufacturer of various components of television sets. The components are manufactured at its factory at Delhi. Thereafter, the said components are assembled in the same factory for the purpose of testing of each component and for checking the working of each television set. Thereafter the television sets so assembled are disassembled and then transported as parts to various satellite units of the appellant company at different places. In these satellite units, the separate components are re-assembled and, as per the appellant, some further processes are carried out in order to make those sets marketable. The issue is whether such components, which are manufactured at and transported from the factory of the appellant at Delhi are liable to be assessed as ‘Television Receivers’ or as ‘Parts of Television Receivers’.

4. The appellant was issued a show-cause notice dated 21.3.1990 by the Assistant Collector, New Delhi, whereby it was asked to show-cause as to why the goods manufactured by the appellant were not liable to be classified under sub-heading 8528.00 of the Tariff as ‘Television Receivers’, rather than under Entry 8529.00, as ‘parts’ of the same. The appellant replied to the show-cause notice that the goods/components as transported from its factory did not possess the essential characteristics of finished Television Receivers as required by Rule 2(a) of the Rules for Interpretation of the Tariff (in short the ‘Rules for Interpretation’), and also detailed the various further processes required to be performed on those goods for them to be considered as complete Television Receivers. These contentions of the appellant appear to have been accepted as no further action was taken by the Revenue until the year 1993.

5. Thereafter, the Collector of Central Excise, exercising his power under Section 35E(2) of the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944 vide order dated 18.02.1994 directed the Assistant-Collector to file an appeal before the Collector, Central Excise (Appeals) for setting aside the approval granted to the classification of the goods of the appellant. The Collector (Appeals) by order dated 21/22.07.1994 dismissed the appeal filed by the Department.

6. Against the aforestated order, the Department preferred an appeal before the Tribunal. The Tribunal by its order dated 18.02.2000 remanded the matter to the Collector (Appeals), on finding that the earlier order of the Collector (Appeals) was a non-speaking order and violative of the principles of natural justice. Consequently, the Collector (Appeals) in the remand proceedings decided the issue in favour of the Department vide order dated 26.06.2002. Against this, the appellant filed an appeal before the Tribunal, wherein the order impugned herein was passed. By the impugned order, the Tribunal has accepted the contentions of the Department and held the goods manufactured by the appellant liable to be classified under Tariff Entry 8528 as ‘Television Receivers’ rather than under Tariff Entry 8529 as ‘parts’ thereof.

7. At the outset, recourse may be had to the respective Tariff Entries during the relevant period:

“8528.00 – Television Receivers (including video monitors and video projector