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Issues Involved:
1. Liability to pay Education Cess on imports under the D.E.P.B scheme. 2. Validity of demand notices issued without show-cause notice or adjudication. Summary: Issue 1: Liability to Pay Education Cess on Imports under the D.E.P.B Scheme The petitioners challenged the demand notices for Education Cess on imports made under the D.E.P.B scheme. The Court referred to its previous decision in the case of Gujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd. & Anr. vs. Government of India & Ors., which held that Education Cess is not leviable on imports under the D.E.P.B scheme. The Court explained that Education Cess, introduced by sections 81 to 85 of the Finance Act, 2004, is levied on the aggregate of duties of customs. However, imports under the D.E.P.B scheme are exempt from customs duty as per Notification No.45/2002 issued u/s 25 of the Customs Act, 1962. The Court emphasized that the exemption from customs duty under the D.E.P.B scheme is intended to neutralize the customs duty on the import component of export products. Therefore, since no customs duty is levied and collected on such imports, Education Cess cannot be levied either. The Court also noted that the Ministry of Finance had clarified that Education Cess is not leviable on goods fully exempt from customs duty. Issue 2: Validity of Demand Notices Issued Without Show-Cause Notice or Adjudication The Court found that the impugned demand notices were issued without any show-cause notice or adjudication, making them liable to be quashed. The Court allowed the department to proceed with the adjudication of the show-cause notices while bearing in mind the conclusions and observations made in this judgment. Conclusion: The petition was allowed, and the impugned demand notice at Annexure-H was quashed. The department was permitted to proceed with the adjudication of the show-cause notices at Annexure-I, considering the Court's conclusions. The rule was made absolute with no costs.
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