2006 (1) TMI 391 - AT - Central Excise

Successful Waiver of Duty & Penalties in Vat Paste Manufacturing Dispute

The Tribunal granted the waiver of pre-deposit of duty and penalties totaling Rs. 1,04,73,056 arising from the Commissioner's order regarding the ... Stay/Dispensation of pre-deposit Issues:1. Waiver of pre-deposit of duty and penalty arising from the order of the Commissioner of Central Excise, Mumbai regarding the manufacturing of Vat Paste for textile printing industry.2. Interpretation of whether the conversion of standardized/formulated powder into paste amounts to manufacture under Chapter Note 6 of Chapter 32.3. Application of legal fiction in determining what constitutes manufacture in the context of dyeing processes.Analysis:1. The case involved applications for waiver of pre-deposit of duty and penalty totaling Rs. 1,04,73,056 arising from the Commissioner's order confirming a demand for manufacturing Vat Paste from vat powder. Penalties were imposed on the Managing Directors and another entity for aiding in Central Excise duty evasion. The applicants argued that their activity did not amount to manufacture as they purchased standardized powder and converted it into paste. They cited relevant Tribunal orders and a Bombay High Court judgment to support their claim for waiver.2. The applicants contended that their process of converting standardized/formulated powder into paste should not be considered as manufacturing under Chapter Note 6 of Chapter 32. The Tribunal noted that in a previous case involving the same applicants, the Assistant Collector had accepted that the conversion did not amount to manufacture. Additionally, the Tribunal and Bombay High Court had previously held that converting one form of standardized/formulated product into another does not constitute manufacture. A Board circular under Section 37B of the Central Excise Act clarified that preparing printing paste from formulated dyes by simple mixing does not amount to manufacture. Based on these precedents, the Tribunal found a prima facie case for waiver and granted relief.3. The Ld. SDR argued that the process undertaken by the applicants amounted to manufacture based on legal fiction created by Chapter Note 6 of Chapter 32. Referring to a Tribunal decision involving a different entity, it was stated that even diluting unformulated dye could be considered manufacture if done to make it ready for use. The Tribunal, however, reasoned that the applicants' process of converting standardized/formulated powder into paste was prima facie tenable. They emphasized the importance of Board circulars and judicial precedents in determining that such conversions did not constitute manufacture. Consequently, the Tribunal granted the waiver of pre-deposit of duty and penalties pending the appeals.This detailed analysis of the judgment highlights the key issues, arguments presented by both sides, relevant legal interpretations, and the Tribunal's decision to grant the waiver of pre-deposit based on the applicants' contentions and supporting legal precedents.