Orissa Quarry Tender Dispute: Supreme Court holds Valid Income Tax Return and GST Certificate...

The Mumbai Bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has ruled that a pre-deposit for an appeal made by Reliance Jio using its credit ledger before October 28, 2022, is valid. The tribunal's decision pertains to the period before a specific amendment in the law clarified the rules around using the credit ledger for pre-deposits. The department had contested the validity of the payment method. However, the CESTAT, likely following precedents from higher courts, held that for the period in question, the use of the credit ledger was permissible. This ruling provides relief to companies that had used their accumulated CENVAT credit to make the mandatory pre-deposit for filing appeals under the Central Excise Act. It ensures that appeals are not dismissed on the technical ground of an improper payment method for the period before the new, more restrictive rules came into effect.