2007 (8) TMI 707

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.... is given to "Flavoured milk of animal origin" while giving the said item exemption from duty. The dispute is about the flavoured milk being produced by the petitioners under the brand name Amul Kool/Amul Kool Cafe. 2. Mr. Paresh M. Dave for the petitioners has submitted as under :- 2.1 Earlier under the six digit code system prevailing till 27-02-2005, the flavoured milk made by the petitioners was falling under Entry 0401.11 which read as under :- CHAPTER 4 DAIRY PRODUCE; EDIBLE PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED Notes :- 1.         The expression, 'Milk' means full cream milk or partially or completely skimmed milk. 2   &n....

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....tifications thereby maintaining the effective rates as they stood for various products till 28-2-2005 once again signifying that the objective of the above Tariff Amendment Act was not to change scope of any Chapter or to change classification of the excisable goods, nor was the objective to change the rate structure of the excisable goods. 2.4 According to the department, as per the show cause notice dated 16-04-2007, the Flavoured milk falls in Chapter 22 under Tariff Item No. 2202 90 30. CHAPTER 22 Beverages, spirits and vinegar Tariff Item Description of goods Unit Rate of duty (1) (2) (3) (4) 2202 Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening ....

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....nd the entries relating thereto, the following S. No. and entries shall be inserted, namely :-   (1) (2) (3) (4) "11A. 2202 90 30 Flavoured milk of animal origin Nil" 2.6 The basic Notification No. 3/2005-C.E. is a general exemption notification prescribing effective rate for various excisable goods, and it is under this general exemption notification that Sr. No. 11A has been inserted from 15-6-2007 thereby specifying nil rate of duty for flavoured milk of animal origin. As the product in question was classified as flavoured milk under SH No. 0401.11 of the Tariff as it stood till 28-2-2005 and since it is not disputed by the Revenue even at this stage that Amul Kool/Amul Kool Cafe is flavoured milk,....

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....were entitled to exemption from excise duty for the entire period from 28-2-2005 to 14-6-2007 by contending that the flavoured milk is only milk with sugar and flavour and is not beverage containing milk as such. Hence, it would have been open to the petitioners to contend that the flavoured milk made by them only falls under Tariff Item No. 0402 99 90 for which Nil rate of duty is prescribed right from 28-2-2005 onwards. 2.8 However, the Central Government itself having given the classification of Tariff Item No. 2202 90 30 in the Notification dated 15-6-2007, apparently with prospective effect, no authority whether the Commissioner of Central Excise or the Appellate Tribunal could accept the petitioners' contention that flavoured ....