The High Court, on Monday, directed the Union Ministry of Finance to set up more Custom Excise Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) in Southern India, for speedy disposal of pending cases.
According to a petition by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) there was an enormous delay in hearing its applications as the lone court in CESTAT in Chennai was not able to accommodate the heavy number of cases.
Surprise
Justice Ram Mohan Reddy, who heard the matter, was surprised to know that the entire South India has just one tribunal, while there are many such tribunals in the north. He directed CESTAT to set up more such tribunals.
Allowing the petition in parts, the bench directed the Centre to constitute more such benches for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala and file a report before Registrar General, High Court by June 3, 2013.
DH News Service