Interest on delayed payment of duty

SECTION ¹[28AA. 

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any judgment, decree, order or direction of any court, Appellate Tribunal or any authority or in any other provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder, the person, who is liable to pay duty in accordance with the provisions of section 28, shall, in addition to such duty, be liable to pay interest, if any, at the rate fixed under sub-section (2), whether such payment is made voluntarily or after determination of the duty under that section.

(2) Interest at such rate not below ten per cent. and not exceeding thirty-six per cent. per annum, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, fix, shall be paid by the person liable to pay duty in terms of section 28 and such interest shall be calculated from the first day of the month succeeding the month in which the duty ought to have been paid or from the date of such erroneous refund, as the case may be, up to the date of payment of such duty.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no interest shall be payable where,—

(a) the duty becomes payable consequent to the issue of an order, instruction or direction by the Board under section 151A; and

(b) such amount of duty is voluntarily paid in full, within forty-five days from the date of issue of such order, instruction or direction, without reserving any right to appeal against the said payment at any subsequent stage of such payment.]

Note :-

1. Substituted by Act 8 of 2011, section 43, for section 28AA and section 28AB (w.e.f. 08-04-2011). Earlier Section 28AA was inserted by Act 22 of 1995, section 57(w.e.f 26-5-1995) and was amended by Act 33 of 1996, section 61(w.e.f. 28-07-1996), by Act 10 of 2000, section 80(w.e.f 12-5-2000), by Act 14 of 2001, section 104(w.ef 11-5-2001), by Act 20 of 2002, section 120 (w.e.f. 11-5-2002) and by Act 49 of 2005, section 30 and Schedule, Part V(w.e.f.28-12-2005). Section 28 AB was inserted Act 33 of 1996, section 32(w.e.f. 28 -9-1996) and was amended by Act 10 of 2000, section 81(w.e.f.12-5-2000), by Act 14 of 2001, section 105(w.e.f. 11-5-2001), by Act 20 of 2002, section 121(w.e.f.11.5.2002), and by Act 49 of 2005, section 30 and Schedule VI-5(w.e.f. 28-12-2005). Sections 28AA and 28 AB, before substitution by Act 8 of 2011, stood as under:

28AA. Interest on delayed payment of duty. - (1) Subject to the provisions contained in section 28AB, where a person, chargeable with the duty determined under sub-section (2) of section 28, fails to pay such duty within three months from the date of such determination, he shall pay, in addition to the duty, interest at such rate not below ten per cent and not exceeding thirty-six per cent per annum, as is for the time being fixed by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazzette, on such duty from the date immediately after the expiry of the said period of three months till the date of payment of such duty :

Provided that where a person, chargeable with duty determined under sub-section (2) of section 28 before the date on which the Finance Bill, 1995 receives the assent of the President, fails to pay such duty within three months from such date, then, such person shall be liable to pay interest under this section from the date immediately after three months from such date, till the date of payment of such duty.

Explanation 1. - Where the duty determined to be payable is reduced by the Commissioner (Appeals), Appellate Tribunal, the National Tax Tribunal or, as the case may be, the court, the date of such determination shall be the date on which an amount of duty is first determined to be payable.

Explanation 2. - Where the duty determined to be payable is increased or further increased by the Commissioner (Appeals), Appellate Tribunal or, the National Tax Tribunal or, as the case may be, the court, the date of such determination shall be,-

(a) for the amount of duty first determined to be payable, the date on which the duty is so determined;

(b) for the amount of increased duty, the date of order by which the increased amount of duty is first determined to be payable;

(c) for the amount of further increase of duty, the date of order on which the duty is so further increased.

(2) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to cases where the duty or the interest becomes payable or ought to be paid on and after the date on which the Finance Bill, 2001 receives the assent of the President.
28-AB. Interest on delayed payment of duty in special cases.-

(1) Where any duty has not been levied or paid or has been short-levied or short-paid or erroneously refunded, the person who is liable to pay the duty as determined under sub-section (2), or has paid the duty under sub-section (2B), of section 28, shall, in addition to the duty, be liable to pay interest at such rate not below ten per cent. and not exceeding thirty-six per cent per annum, as is for the time being fixed by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, from the first day of the month succeeding the month in which the duty ought to have been paid under this Act, or from the date of such erroneous refund, as the case may be, but for the provisions contained in sub-section (2), or sub-section (2B), of section 28, till the date of payment of such duty:

Provided that in such cases where the duty becomes payable consequent to issue of an order, instruction or direction by the Board under section 151A, and such amount of duty payable is voluntarily paid in full, without reserving any right to appeal against such payment at any subsequent stage, within forty-five days from the date of issue of such order, instruction or direction, as the case may be, no interest shall be payable and in other cases the interest shall be payable on the whole of the amount, including the amount already paid.

(2) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to cases where the duty or interest had become payable or ought to have been paid before the date on which the Finance Bill, 2001 receives the assent of the President.

Explanation 1.-Where the duty determined to be payable is reduced by the Commissioner (Appeals), the Appellate Tribunal, National Tax Tribunal or, as the case may be, the court, the interest shall be payable on such reduced amount of duty.

Explanation 2.-Where the duty determined to be payable is increased or further increased by the Commissioner (Appeals), the Appellate Tribunal, National Tax Tribunal or, as the case may be, the court, the interest shall be payable on such increased or further increased amount of duty.”.