Court Restores Appeal to CESTAT; Previous Rejection Wasn't Merit-Based, Not a Repetitive Filing Issue.

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....The filing of appeal in the instant case would not be regarded as filing of appeals repeatedly since the earlier order came to be passed by the third respondent not on merits but only on the sole ground of failure on the part of the petitioner herein to comply with the mandatory requirement of law but not on merits. In the considered opinion of this Court, the said order, dated 03.11.2020, by any stretch of imagination, cannot be regarded as the order on merits but is only an order refusing to entertain the appeal. Therefore, the contention of the learned Senior Standing Counsel that the petitioner herein is required to be relegated to the alternative remedy of appeal to the CESTAT cannot be sustained and is, accordingly, rejected. - Matter restored before the CESTAT - HC....