18 March 2011
Supreme Court
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SANGAM SPINNERS LTD. Vs UNION OF INDIA .

Bench: MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA,ANIL R. DAVE, , ,
Case number: C.A. No.-000476-000476 / 2003
Diary number: 8460 / 2002
Advocates: NARESH KUMAR Vs ANIL KATIYAR


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REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 476 OF 2003

Sangam Spinners Ltd.      …. Appellant

Versus

Union of India & Ors.    …. Respondents

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 477-478 OF 2003

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 479 OF 2003

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1436 OF 2003

JUDGMENT

Dr. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA, J.

1. The issue that falls for consideration in these appeals is  

whether the appellants are entitled to credit of duty paid on

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High  Speed  Diesel  oil  at  any  time  during  the  period  

commencing on and from 16th March, 1995 and ending with  

the  day  of  Finance  Act,  2000  which  received  assent  of  the  

President on 1st April, 2000.

In Civil Appeal No. 476 of 2003:

The  appellants  are  engaged  in  the  business  of  

manufacturing and selling Man Made PV Blended Yarn  

and have installed a diesel generating set for generation  

of  electricity  for  captive  consumption  in  their  factory  

premises.    It  is  the  case  of  the  appellants  that  they  

purchased  High  Speed  Diesel  oil  for  generation  of  

electricity from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. / Hindustan  

Petroleum  Corporation  Ltd.  through  their  sales  

office/depots  in  Rajasthan,  which  was  cleared  under  

heading  27.10  (sub  heading  2710.90)  on  payment  of  

central excise duty.

In Civil Appeal No. 477-478 of 2003:

The  appellants  are  engaged  in  the  business  of  

manufacturing  and  selling  Portland  cement  and  have  

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installed  a  diesel  generating  set  for  generation  of  

electricity  for  captive  consumption  in  their  factory  

premises.    It  is  the  case  of  the  appellants  that  they  

purchased  High  Speed  Diesel  oil  for  generation  of  

electricity from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. / Hindustan  

Petroleum  Corporation  Ltd.  through  their  sales  

office/depots  in  Rajasthan,  which  was  cleared  under  

heading  27.10  (sub  heading  2710.90)  on  payment  of  

central excise duty.

In Civil Appeal No. 479 of 2003 :

The  appellants  are  engaged  in  the  business  of  

manufacturing  and  selling  Cotton  Yarn  and  Yarn  of  

Synthetic/Artificial  Staple  Fiber  and  have  installed  a  

diesel  generating  set  for  generation  of  electricity  for  

captive consumption in their factory premises.   It is the  

case of the appellants that they purchased High Speed  

Diesel  oil  for  generation  of  electricity  from  Indian  Oil  

Corporation Ltd. / Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.  

through  their  sales  office/depots  in  Rajasthan,  which  

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was cleared under heading 27.10 (sub heading 2710.90)  

on payment of central excise duty.

2. In  all  these  Appeals,  identical  issues  are  involved  and  

therefore, we propose to dispose of all these appeals by this  

common judgment and order.    

3. The case of the appellants is that the said diesel oil  is  

used  as  input/goods  in  the  said  diesel  generation  set  for  

generation of electricity which is used in the manufacture of  

final  goods  or  for  other  purposes  in  the  factory  of  the  

appellants.   They  submitted  a  declaration  in  respect  of  the  

diesel as well as oil and lubricants as required under Rule 57G  

read  with  Rule  57B  of  the  Central  Excise  Rules  1944,  [for  

short “the Rules”] intending to avail the credit of duty on the  

said  goods/inputs  on  17/18.3.1997  with  the  Assistant  

Commissioner,  Central  Excise,  Ajmer. But  the  Assistant  

Commissioner  informed  the  appellants  that  after  1.3.1997,  

MODVAT credit was not available on high speed diesel oil and  

therefore  no  action  could  be  taken  on  the  declaration  

submitted by the company. The appellant company submitted  

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declaration under Rule 57(H) of the Rules declaring the stock  

position of HSD oil as on 17.3.1997.   They also prayed for  

condonation  of  delay  in  submitting  the  declaration.    The  

Superintendent, Central Excise Range Beawar vide letter dated  

25.6.1997 informed the appellant company that the MODVAT  

credit was not admissible on high speed diesel oil under Rule  

57(A) of the Rules.

4. After  denial  of  MODVAT credit,  the appellant  company  

was given a show cause notice by Superintendent Central  

Excise  Range,  Beawar  to  project  as  to  why  the  credit  

given should not be disallowed to the appellant.    

5. The  appellant  filed  a  writ  petition  in  the  year  1997  

seeking direction to quash the Trade Notice No. 26/27,  

the entry regarding the explanation of the HSD Oil in the  

Notification No. 5/94 and also the order dated 2.9.1997.

6. The said writ petition came up for consideration before  

the  Rajasthan  High  Court  and  by  the  impugned  

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judgment and order dated 3.4.2002, the writ petition was  

dismissed.    

7. Aggrieved  by  the  aforesaid  judgment  and  order,  the  

present appeals were filed on which we heard the learned  

counsel appearing for the parties.  

8. Counsel appearing for the parties drew our attention to  

Chapter V of the Rules which deals with levy of excise  

duty on manufactured goods other than salt.  Rule 43 to  

Rule  57  under  Section  A  of  Chapter  V  provides  the  

general  provisions.    Rule  57  speaks  of  finances  and  

penalties.  Rule 57A provides for availment of MODVAT  

credit  in respect of  inputs used in manufacture of  the  

finished  product.   The  rule  empowers  the  Central  

Government  to  specify  the  final  product  by  issuing  

notifications  in  the  official  gazette  for  the  purpose  of  

allowing MODVAT credit of any duty of excise paid on the  

goods i.e.  inputs  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  said  

final products.    

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9. Learned counsel appearing for the parties also drew our  

attention  to  various  notifications  issued  by  the  

Government of India which are relevant for the purpose  

of deciding the present case and also to various decisions  

to which reference shall be made during the course of our  

discussion.    

10. Learned counsel appearing for the appellants submitted  

that the High Court in the impugned judgment failed to  

draw a distinction between an accrued and vested right  

because of the operation of the Rules and the power to  

tax  which  in  certain  circumstances  could  be  used  

retrospectively  by  issuing  a  validating  Act  to  cure  the  

defect in the statute. It was also contended that MODVAT  

credit  is  an  accrued  and  vested  right  and  therefore  it  

would be governed by the Rules prevailing on that date  

and such vested and accrued right cannot be taken away  

by an Act of Parliament giving retrospective effect. It was  

also contended that the explanation added to Rule 57B  

with  notification  dated  2.3.1998  was  retrospective  in  

nature  and  the  explanation  can  only  clarify  a  legal  

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position already existing but it cannot restrict or enlarge  

the scope of the substantive provisions of law so as to  

nullify  the  substantive  provisions  itself.  Another  

submission of the counsel appearing for the appellants  

was that the Finance Act of 2000 intends to take away  

the rights accrued retrospectively which is burdensome  

and oppressive as the appellants were unable to pass on  

the burden on the customer and that in view of the law  

enacted,  the  appellants  would  have  to  bear  the  entire  

burden and that too retrospectively and therefore such  

provision is in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution  

of India.  

11. Counsel appearing for the respondent, however, refuted  

all the aforesaid allegations and submitted that the Act  

sought to be named as a validating Act by the appellant  

is not a validating Act, but in fact explanatory in nature  

in order to clarify and put in proper perspective the legal  

position as existing on the issue.  It was also submitted  

that the courts have held that the power of the legislature  

to  validate  the  acts  done in  respect  of  a  particular  

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provision is  permissible  particularly in respect of fiscal  

matter.   Reference was also made to the decision of this  

Court in Central Excise, Meerut Vs. Rama Vision Ltd.  

reported in  2005 (181) ELT 201 (SC),  wherein  it  was  

held  by  this  Court  that  no  such  MODVAT  credit  is  

available  on  the  duty  paid  on  HSD Oil  as  fuel  in  the  

generation  of  electricity  for  the  period  16.3.1995  to  

1.4.2000.

12. Reference was also made to the decision of this Court in  

M/s. Gujarat Ambuja Cement Vs. UOI reported in 2005  

(182) ELT 33 (SC), wherein this Court held that because  

of the inherent complexity of fiscal adjustments of diverse  

elements  in  the  field  of  tax,  the  legislature  has  large  

discretion in classifying as to what should be taxed in  

which manner.  It was also the submission of the learned  

counsel  appearing  for  the  respondents  that  the  

respondents  never  intended  to  allow  any  such  credit  

which is being claimed by the appellants and a Finance  

Bill  was introduced justifying the action taken to deny  

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the  credit  of  any  duty  paid  on  the  HSD  oil  from  

16.3.1995.   In fact the explanatory note is not issued to  

signify any legislative change but the same was issued in  

order to explain the real position as existing by issuing  

an Act by way of Finance Bill  2000 and thereafter the  

Finance Act, 2000 which was passed by the Parliament  

and received the assent of the Parliament on 12.5.2000.  

13. In the context of the aforesaid submissions of the counsel  

appearing for  the  parties,  we  proceed to  deal  with the  

issues  raised  before  us  more  elaborately.  However,  in  

order  to  effectively  deal  with  and  understand  the  

implications  and ambit  of  the  issues  raised it  may  be  

necessary to set out the various relevant provisions of the  

Central  Excise Act,  1944 [for  short  “the Act”],  and the  

Rules  framed  thereunder  and  also  the  various  

notifications issued which are relevant for the purpose of  

deciding the present issues.  

14. In order to appreciate the contentions raised and also to  

answer the issue that falls for our consideration it would  

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be  necessary  to  extract  herein  relevant  part  of  the  

notifications in question as also relevant part of Section  

112  of  the  Finance  Act,  2000  and  such  other  related  

provisions.   

15. The  Finance  Act,  2000  received  the  assent  of  the  

President on 1st April, 2000 and the said Act was enacted  

for validation of the denial of duty paid on High Speed  

Diesel oil.   Sub-section (1) of Section 112 of the Finance  

Act, 2000, which is material, reads as follows:

“112(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any rule of   the Central Excise Rules, 1944, no credit of any duty paid   on high speed diesel oil   at  any time  during the  period  commencing on and from the 16th March, 1995 and ending  with the day, the Finance Act, 2000 received the assent of   the President shall be deemed to be admissible.”

16. In order to understand and appreciate the true import of  

the aforesaid provision it is also necessary to read clause 108  

of the Finance Act, 2000, the same reads as follows:

“Clause 108 – seeks to deny credit of  the duty paid on  high speed diesel  oil  when  used in  the  manufacture  of   excisable goods with retrospective effect from the 16th day  of March, 1995.  It  was never the legislative intention to   

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permit credit of duty paid on high speed diesel oil.  The  clause also seeks to validate the action taken in the past  on this basis.  This amendment has become necessary to   overcome certain judicial pronouncements.”

In this connection, memorandum to legislative changes, which  

is a part of the document is also required to be noted, which  

reads as under:

“Modvat Credit on high speed diesel oil was not intended  to  be  allowed  at  any  stage.   Suitable  retrospective  provision made to give effect to confirm this.”

17. We are also concerned for  the purpose of  deciding the  

issues  with the contents  and scope of  with Notification No.  

5/94-CE(NT) dated 01.03.1994, Notification No. 8/95-CE(NT)  

dated  16.03.1995  and  Notification  No.  11/95-CE(NT)  dated  

16.03.1995.

18. Notification  No.  5/94-CE(NT)  dated  01.03.1994  was  

issued by the Central Government specifying therein the final  

products  described in column (3)  of  the  Table  in respect of  

which  credit  of  duty  under  MODVAT  was  made  available.  

However,  in  the  said  table  it  was provided that  high speed  

diesel oil which fell under tariff entry 2710.31 of the Central  

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Excise Tariff  Act,  1985,  would not be considered as eligible  

input and it was specifically excluded from the list of eligible  

inputs.  In the same  notification, it was mentioned that the  

final  product,  Man  Made  PV  Blended  Yarn  falling  under  

Chapter  55 of  the  Central  Excise  Tariff  Act,  1985 was also  

specifically excluded.

19. The aforesaid  notification was issued in exercise of the  

powers  conferred by  Rule  57A of  the  Central  Excise  Rules,  

1944.  By issuing the said notification the Central Government  

identified the inputs in respect of which duty paid was allowed  

as credit if they were used in relation to the manufacture of  

the final products which were also specified in the notification  

as indicated hereinbefore.  The high speed diesel oil and the  

final product of the Man Made PV Blended Yarn falling under  

Chapter  55  of  the  Central  Excise  Tariff  Act,  1985  were  

specifically excluded from the list of eligible inputs.   

20. The  aforesaid  notification came  to  be  amended  

specifically  by  issuing  Notification  No.  8/95-CE(NT)  dated  

16.03.1995, where also high speed diesel oil classifiable under  

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heading 27.10 was specifically excluded from the list of eligible  

inputs.   Woven  fabrics  classifiable  under  Chapter  52  or  

Chapter 54 or Chapter 55 were also specifically excluded from  

the  list  of  final  products.   Thus,  the  input  and  the  final  

product  of  the  appellants  were  specifically  excluded  in  the  

Notification No. 8/95-CE(NT) dated 16.03.1995.   

21. Reliance was also placed on the 2nd proviso in Rule 57D  

by  Notification No.  11/95-CE (NT)  dated  16th March,  1995.  

The aforesaid amendment was to the following effect:

“4.  In  the said  Rules,  in Rule 57D, for the proviso, the   following provisos shall be substituted, namely:- Provided that such intermediate products are –

(a) ……………………………..

(b) Specified  as  inputs  or  as  final  products  under  a  notification issued under rule 57A:

Provided  that  the  credit  of  specified  duty  shall  be  allowed  in  respect  of  inputs  which  are  used  for  generation  of  electricity,  used  within  the  factory  of  production for manufacture of final products or for any  other purpose.”

22. It  is to be remembered at this stage that although the  

aforesaid 2nd proviso in Rule 57D was brought in, but inputs  

like high speed diesel oil used for the purpose of generation of  

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electricity  was  specifically  excluded  by  another  Notification  

issued on the same date i.e. on 16.03.1995 to which we have  

already made a reference.

23. The contention of the appellants in this regard was that  

by the insertion of the 2nd proviso in Rule 57D by Notification  

No.  11/95-CE  (NT)  dated  16th March,  1995  they  became  

entitled for  the  credit  of  duty paid on high speed diesel  oil  

which was used for generation of electricity.   

24. But  in  our  observation,  high  speed  diesel  oil  for  the  

purpose of generation of electricity was specifically  excluded  

from the list  of  eligible  inputs in the  Notification No.  5/94-

CE(NT)  dated  1st March,  1994  issued  under  Rule  57A  also  

under Notification No. 8/95-CE(NT) dated 16.3.1995 from the  

list of eligible inputs.  Therefore on a conjoint reading of the  

aforesaid Notifications dated 1st March, 1994 and 16.3.1995 as  

also the amendment to Rule 57D, it is sufficiently indicated  

that the appellants are not entitled to credit of duty paid in  

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respect of high speed diesel oil which was used for the purpose  

of generation of electricity.

25. Our attention was also drawn to the Notification dated  

1.3.1997 whereby the Central Government amended Central  

Excise Rules and the provisos of Rule 57D were deleted, but  

the  appellants,  however,  claim that  they became entitled to  

such benefit as per Rule 57B.  Relevant part of which reads as  

follows:

“57B.  Eligibility of credit of duty on certain goods:-

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in Rule 57A, the  manufacturer  of  final  products  shall  be allowed  to  take   credit  of  the specified duty paid on the following goods,   used  in  or  in  relation  to  the  manufacture  of  the  final  products,  whether  directly  or  indirectly  and  whether  contained in the final products or not, namely,:-

(i) goods which are manufactured and used within   the factory of production;

(ii)   paints;

(iii) goods used as fuel;

(iv) goods  used  for  generation  of  electricity  or  steam, used for manufacture of final products  or for any other purpose, within the factory of  production.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx”

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26. On 10.03.1997, a Notification No. B42/1/97 was issued  

in the nature of corrigendum whereby in Rule 57B in sub-rule  

(1) for “goods” wherever it occurs it was provided that it should  

be read as “Inputs”.  The relevant part of the same read as  

under:

“Explanation:  For  the  purposes  of  this  sub-rule,  it  is  hereby clarified that the term “inputs” refers only to such  inputs as may be specified in a notification issued under  rule 57A.”

27. We  may  also  refer  to  another  Notification No.  5/98-

CE(NT) dated 2.3.1998 wherein an explanation was added in  

Rule 57B in sub-rule (1), which reads as follows:

“(I)  in  rule  57B,  in  sub-rule  (1),  for  “goods”  wherever  it   occurs read “inputs”.”

28. A careful reading of the above said provision would make  

it explicitly clear that by adding the aforesaid explanation by  

Notification No.  5/98-CE(NT)  dated  2.3.1998  the  inputs  

mentioned in Rule 57B refers only to such inputs as specified  

in the  notification issued under Rule 57A.  Accordingly, the  

appellants are not entitled to get the benefit of, credit of duty  

paid  on  High  Speed  Diesel  oil  as  high  speed  diesel  oil  is  

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excluded  from the  list  of  eligible  inputs  as  per  notification  

issued under Rule 57A of the Central Excise Rules, 1944.   

29. It is the contention of the respondents that despite the  

aforesaid  clear  position  the  Central  Excise  Gold  (Control)  

Appellate  Tribunal  (in  short  “the  Tribunal”)  delivered  three  

judgments, namely,  

(a) India Cements Ltd. vs. Commissioner of Customs &  

C.Ex., Hyderabad reported in 1997 (95) .E.L.T. 520.

(b) Jindal Polymers vs. Commissioner of C. Ex., Indore  

reported in 1999 (114) E.L.T. 322; and

(c)  Commissioner of Central Excise, Shillong vs. Vinay  

Cement Ltd. reported in 1999 (114) E.L.T. 753.

wherein  it  was  held  that  high  speed  diesel  oil  would  be  

considered as eligible input to get the benefit.

30. The  intention  regarding  availment  of  the  credit  under  

MODVAT  would  be  guided  and  governed  by  the  aforesaid  

notifications  which  specifically  excluded  the  benefit  of  

availment of such credit as high speed diesel oil is specifically  

excluded  from the  list  of  eligible  inputs  as  per  notification  

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under Rule 57A of the Central Excise Rules, 1944.  Since it  

was specifically excluded from the list of eligible inputs such  

credit  though  may  otherwise  be  available  would  not  have  

credited a vested right.   

31. In the light of the aforesaid factual as also legal position,  

this Court in the case of  Commissioner of Central Excise,  

Hyderabad Vs. Associated Cement Companies Ltd. reported  

in  2005 180 ELT  3  (S.C.) and  Commissioner  of  Central  

Excise, Meerut Vs. Rama Vision reported in 2005 181 ELT  

201 clearly  laid  down  the  proposition  that  no  credit  is  

admissible on any duty paid on high speed diesel oil for the  

period commencing from 16.3.1995 and ending with the day of  

Finance Act, 2000 which received the assent of the President  

on 1st April, 2000.

32. Despite the aforesaid factual position, since the Tribunal  

held  otherwise,  therefore,  there  was  a  necessity  for  the  

Finance  Act  to  be  brought  in  whereby  a  clarificatory  

explanation to the legal position was laid down.

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33. Despite the aforesaid two decisions of this court laying  

down  the  proposition,  it  must  be  clarified  that  in  those  

decisions validity of Section 112 of the Finance Act was not  

challenged  and  therefore  this  Court  did  not  have  the  

opportunity to examine all the aspects of Section 112.   

34. In  the  case  of  Tata  Motors  Ltd.  Vs.  State  of  

Maharashtra  reported  in  (2004)  5  SCC  783,  this  Court  

observed that retrospective withdrawal of the benefit of set-off  

only  for  a  particular  period  should  be  justified  on  some  

tangible and rational ground when challenged on the ground  

of unconstitutionality.  However, in the present case the ratio  

of the Tata Motors case [supra] would not be applicable as the  

appellants  in  this  case  never  had  a  right  with  regard  to  

availment  of  MODVAT credit.  Hence,  the contentions of  the  

appellants that their vested and accrued right cannot be taken  

away  with  retrospective  effect  cannot  be  held  as  just  and  

proper.  

35. We  have  already  discussed  the  applicability  of  the  

provisions of the Central  Excise Act and the Rules made  

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there under, which are also read in context of the various  

notifications issued by the Government of India.    When  

read  collectively  in  the  aforesaid  context  the  only  

conclusion that can be drawn is that the appellants are not  

entitled  to  the  credit  of  duty  as  high  speed diesel  oil  is  

specifically excluded from the list of eligible inputs as per  

the  notification  issued  under  Rule  57A  of  the  Central  

Excise  Rules  1944.    Therefore,  the  contention  of  the  

counsel  appearing  for  the  appellants  that  explanation to  

Section 57-B not being clarificatory,  and to whittle  down  

the width of non-obstante clause of Section 57-B, cannot be  

accepted.  The contention that the provisions of Rule 57B  

prevails  over  Rule  57A  and  consequently  the  inputs  

enumerated  under  Rule  57B  would  be  inputs  for  the  

availment of MODVAT credit in spite of any provision to the  

contrary  which  may  be  contained  in  Rule  57A,  is  

misreading of the provisions, for in our considered opinion,  

the  aforesaid  explanation  added  to  the  Notification  No.  

5/98  dated  2.3.1998,  clearly  intends  that  the  inputs  

mentioned  in  Rule  57B  refers  only  to  such  inputs  as  

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specified in a notification issued under Rule 57A.  

36. So far the contention with regard to concept of MODVAT is  

concerned, the intention regarding availment of the credit  

under  MODVAT  would  be  guided  and  governed  by  the  

aforesaid  notifications  which  specifically  excluded  the  

benefit of availment of such credit, as high speed diesel is  

specifically excluded from the list of eligible inputs as per  

the  notification under  Section 57A of  the  Central  Excise  

Rules.    Since,  it  was  specifically  excluded,  such  credit  

though may be otherwise available, could not have created  

any vested right.  In our considered opinion the intention of  

the legislature is clear from the beginning to exclude the  

benefit  of  such credit  by  excluding  high speed diesel  oil  

from  the  list  of  eligible  inputs  by  making  substantial  

exclusion  thereof  in  the  notifications  referred  to  

hereinbefore.  The aforesaid position is also verified by the  

decision  of  this  Court  in  the  case  of  Commissioner  of  

Central  Excise,  Hyderabad  Vs.  Associated  Cement  

Companies Ltd.  reported in  2005 180 ELT 3 (S.C.) and  

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Commissioner  of  Central  Excise,  Meerut  Vs.  Rama  

Vision reported in 2005 181 ELT 201 (supra).     

37.The aforesaid decisions of this Court have clearly laid down  

the proposition that no credit  is  admissible  on any duty  

paid on high speed diesel  oil  for  the period commencing  

from 16.3.1995 and ending with the day of Finance Act,  

2000  which  received  the  assent  of  the  President  on  1st  

April, 2000.

38.Despite  the  aforesaid  fact,  since  the  Tribunal  held  

otherwise, therefore, there was a necessity for the Finance  

Act to be brought in giving a clarificatory explanation to the  

legal  position  which  is  being  prevailing  all  alone  and  

established by the long list of the notifications which were  

issued from time to time and referred to hereinbefore.

39. We may  also  appropriately  refer  to  at  this  stage  to  the  

decision of this Court in  Shri Prithvi Cotton Mills Ltd.  

and Another Vs. Broach Borough Municipality and Ors.  

reported in (1969) 2 SCC 283 wherein the Supreme Court  

in paragraph 4 has stated thus:-

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“4.  Before  we  examine  Section  3  to  find  out   whether it is effective in its purpose or not we may  say  a  few  words  about  validating  statutes  in  general. When a Legislature sets out to validate a tax   declared by a court to be illegally collected under an  ineffective  or  an  invalid  law,  the  cause  for  ineffectiveness or invalidity must be removed before  validation can be said to take place effectively. The  most  important  condition,  of  course,  is  that  the  Legislature  must  possess the  power  to  impose  the  tax,  for, if  it  does not, the action must ever remain   ineffective  and  illegal.  Granted  legislative   competence, it is not sufficient to declare merely that   the  decision of  the  Court shall  not bind for that  is   tantamount  to  reversing  the  decision  in  exercise of  judicial  power  which  the  Legislature  does  not  possess or exercise. A court’s decision must always   bind unless the conditions on which it is based are   so fundamentally altered that the decision could not  have  been  given  in  the  altered  circumstances.   Ordinarily,  a  court  holds  a  tax  to  be  invalidly  imposed because the power to tax is wanting or the  statute  or  the  rules  or  both  are  invalid  or  do  not   sufficiently create the jurisdiction. Validation of a tax   so declared illegal may be done only if the grounds of   illegality or invalidity are capable of being removed  and are in fact removed and the tax thus made legal.   Sometimes this is done by providing for jurisdiction   where  jurisdiction  had  not  been  properly  invested  before.  Sometimes  this  is  done  by  re-enacting  retrospectively a valid and legal taxing provision and  then by fiction  making  the  tax  already collected to   stand  under  the  re-enacted  law.  Sometimes  the  Legislature gives its own meaning and interpretation   of  the  law under  which  tax  was  collected and  by  legislative fiat makes the new meaning binding upon  courts. The Legislature may follow any one method  or all of them and while it does so it may neutralise   the effect of  the earlier  decision of  the court which   becomes  ineffective  after  the  change  of  the  law.   Whichever method is adopted it must be within the   competence of the legislature and legal and adequate   to  attain  the  object  of  validation.  If  the  Legislature   has  the  power  over  the  subject-matter  and  competence to make a valid law, it can at any time   make such a valid law and make it retrospectively so  as to bind even past transactions. The validity of a  Validating Law, therefore, depends upon whether the  

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Legislature  possesses  the  competence  which  it   claims  over  the  subject-matter  and  whether  in  making the validation it removes the defect which the   courts  had  found  in  the  existing  law  and  makes  adequate provisions in the Validating Law for a valid  imposition of the tax.”

40. There are similar decisions to that effect of this Court in  

D.G. Gose & Co. (Agents) Pvt. Ltd. Vs. State of Kerala &  

Anr.  reported in (1980) 2 SCC 410.   In paragraph 14 of  

the said judgment, this Court stated thus:-

“14. Craies on Statute Law, seventh Edn., has  stated the meaning of “retrospective” at p. 367  as follows:  

“A statute is to be deemed to be retrospective,   which takes away or impairs any vested right   acquired under existing laws, or creates a new  obligation, or imposes a new duty, or attaches a  new  disability  in  respect  of  transactions  or   considerations  already  past.  But a statute  ‘is  not  properly  called  a  retrospective  statute   because a part of the requisites for its action is   drawn from a time antecedent to its passing’.” It has however, not been shown how it could be  said that the Act has taken away or impaired  any  vested  right  of  the  assessees  before  us  which  they  had  acquired  under  any  existing  law, or what that vested right was. It  may be  that there was no liability to building tax until   the  promulgation  of  the  Act  (earlier  the   Ordinances)  but  mere  absence  of  an  earlier   taxing  statute  cannot  be  said  to  create  a  “vested right”,  under any existing  law,  that  it   shall not be levied in future with effect from a  date anterior to the passing of the Act. Nor can  it be said that by imposing the building tax from  an earlier date any new obligation or disability   

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has  been  attached  in  respect  of  any  earlier   transaction  or  consideration.  The  Act  is  not  therefore  retrospective  in  the  strictly  technical   sense.”

41.In the  light  of  the  aforesaid  decisions and legal  position  

which emanates from reading of the provisions of the Act  

and the Rules framed there under and notifications which  

are issued from time to time, the contentions of the counsel  

appearing for the appellants are found to be without any  

merit.  Since  the  product  High  Speed  Diesel  oil  was  

excluded specifically from the list of eligible inputs in the  

notifications, there was no question of creation of any right  

in favour of the appellant to avail such benefit.  Therefore,  

contention that a vested or accrued right is sought to be  

taken  away  by  giving  retrospective  effect  is  without  any  

merit.  Consequently, in the facts of this case we are not  

required to answer whether a vested or accrued right could  

be  taken  away  with  retrospective  effect.  Further  on  a  

conjoint  reading  of  all  the  notifications  it  is  clearly  

established that the intention of the Government all along  

was to exclude the appellants from getting the benefit of the  

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MODVAT credit, therefore, the contentions that the Finance  

Act  violates  the  vested  right  is  without  any  basis.  The  

various  decisions  referred  to  and  relied  upon  by  the  

counsel  appearing  for  the  appellants  in  support  of  his  

contention  that  the  vested  right  created  in  their  favour  

could  not  have  been  divested  by  the  respondent  

retrospectively is found to be based on misreading of the  

language  of  the  aforesaid  notifications  which  do  not  

support, but in fact destroy the very basis of the case of the  

appellants.     

42.In that view of the matter, we find no merit in these appeals  

which are dismissed but leaving the parties to bear their  

own costs.

............................................J           [Dr. Mukundakam Sharma ]

............................................J           [ Anil R. Dave ]

New Delhi, March 18, 2011.

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