TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2021 (8) TMI 878
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.... and Service tax Appellate Tribunal having its Registry at West Block, No.2, R.K.Puram, New Delhi - 110 022 in matters pertaining to the rate of duty (Classification) and value of the goods for the purposes of assessment of duty (Valuation)/Jurisidctional CESTAT. b) South Regional Bench of the Tribunal having its Registry at Shastri Bhavan, Annexe Building, 1st Floor, 26, Haddows Road, Chennai - 600 006 in matters pertaining to cases other than those mentioned at 2(a) above/Jurisdictional CESTAT." The procedures for filing an appeal is also contemplated under the Orderin- Original itself. 3. Instead of preferring an appeal for the redressal of the grievances, the petitioner has chosen to file a writ petition raising several g....
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....ces, in order to mitigate injustice, the High Court can intervene and not otherwise. Such power of dispensing with the appeal remedy is to be exercised sparingly and not in a routine manner. The learned Senior Standing Counsels reiterated that, in respect of the writ petitions on hand, the original assessment order has been passed either by the Joint Commissioner or by the Commissioner of Customs. Against such original orders passed by the original authorities under the provisions of the Customs Act, an appeal is contemplated under Sections 128 and 129 of the Customs Act, respectively. Without exhausting the appellate remedy, the writ petitioners have filed these writ petitions, and therefore, the writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. ....
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....0.Since the learned counsel for the appellants submitted that the certified copy of the impugned order was filed in the writ petition, the Registry is directed to return the impugned original order filed in the writ petition, after retaining a photostat copy. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed." 9.... 10.... 11.This Court is of the considered opinion that all such grounds raised on merits are to be adjudicated with reference to the documents and evidences to be produced and the scope of the writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India cannot be expanded so as to exercise the powers of the appellate authority in the matter of examination or scrutiny of original docume....
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....ted to usurp the powers of the appellate authorities by adjudicating the merits of the matter on certain documents and evidences. In the event of adjudication of merits under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in the absence of complete trial with reference to the documents and evidences, there is a possibility of miscarriage of justice, and therefore, the High Court is expected to be cautious, while entering into the venture of adjudication of certain merits with reference to the original documents and evidences produced by the respective parties to the lis. This being the legislative intention, High Court is expected to trust the institutional authorities as well as the hierarchy of institutions contemplated under the Statutes. Inst....
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....respect is of paramount importance. Even the point of jurisdiction, limitation, error apparent on the face of the record, are on merits and all are to be adjudicated before the appellate authority and the appellate authority, more specifically, the Appellate Tribunal or the Commissioner (Appeals), as the case may be, is empowered to adjudicate all such legal grounds raised by the respective parties and make a finding on merits. Thus, usurping the powers of the appellate authorities by the High Court by invoking its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is certainly unwarranted. The parties must be provided an opportunity to approach the appropriate authorities for redressal of their grievances in the manner known to law. In ....
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....his Court has no hesitation in arriving at a conclusion that the petitioners are bound to exhaust the appellate remedy, either under Section 128 or Section 129 of the Customs Act, respectively. Thus, the petitioners are at liberty to approach the appellate authority and file an appeal by following the procedures contemplated and by complying with the conditions to prefer the appeal, within a period of 60 days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, and in the event of filing of appeal(s) by the writ petitioners within a period of 60 days, all such appeals are directed to be entertained without reference to the period of limitation, and the matters are to be adjudicated on merits and in accordance with law and by affording opportun....