Pre-deposit condition upheld where Tribunal assessed financial capacity and fixed a reasonable deposit for hearing the appeal.

The Tribunal's direction requiring a deposit of Rs. 20,000 as a condition for hearing the appeal, after granting only a partial waiver of pre-deposit, was found not to be prima facie illegal. The order was supported by the petitioner's financial position and the reasonableness of the amount fixed, and the reference to failure to cross-examine witnesses did not undermine that core basis. No material was shown to justify complete waiver of the pre-deposit. The deposit condition was therefore upheld.

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Issues: Whether the Tribunal's order directing deposit of Rs. 20,000 as a condition for hearing the appeal, after partial waiver of pre-deposit, suffered from any prima facie illegality.

Analysis: The Tribunal had taken note of the petitioner's financial position while granting only a partial waiver and fixing a deposit of Rs. 20,000. The objection that the Tribunal referred to failure to cross-examine witnesses did not undermine the order, since the core basis of the direction was the assessment of financial capacity and the reasonableness of the amount fixed. No material was shown to establish that the petitioner's financial position warranted complete waiver.

Conclusion: The direction to deposit Rs. 20,000 was upheld and no prima facie illegality was found in the Tribunal's order.

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