COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE Vs. TARPAULIN INTERNATIONAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ISSUE:

(2.) The issue above mentioned has come up in the light of the following facts which can be briefly stated as follows: we take M/s Tarpaulin International Civil Appeal No. 5341 of 2005 as the lead case. The noticee is carrying on the business of producing and selling 'tarpaulin made-ups'. The 'tarpaulin made-ups' are nothing but the tarpaulin cloth which is prepared by making solution of wax, aluminum stearate and pigments which are mixed and the solution is heated in a vessel and transferred to a tank. Grey cotton canvas fabric is then dipped into this solution and passed through two rollers, where after the canvas is dried by exposure to atmosphere. Thereafter, the tarpaulin made-ups are prepared by cutting the cloth into various sizes and stitched and eye- lets are fitted. The noticee states that the process of mere cutting, stitching and putting eyelets does not amount to manufacture and hence, the department cannot levy Excise Duty on tarpaulin made-ups. However, the view of the department is that, the "made-ups" prepared by means of cutting, stitching and fixing of eye-lets amounts to manufacture and, hence, they are exigible to duty under the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985 (for short 'the Act').

(3.) A show cause notice was issued by a competent authority dated 31.8.1995, inter alia directing the noticee to show cause as to why tarpaulin made-ups be not classified under chapter sub-heading 63.01 and the corresponding duty of Rs.57,33,262/- be demanded. The assessees had filed their replies inter alia contending that no manufacturing process was involved in the conversion tarpaulin fabric into tarpaulin made-ups.