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Issues:
Challenge to validity of order passed by Collector of Central Excise under Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944. Dispute over the basis for assessing excise duty on pharmaceutical products. Claim for deduction of trade discount and quantity discount in excise duty assessment. Analysis: The petitioners, a firm manufacturing pharmaceutical products, challenged an order by the Collector of Central Excise imposing a 10% ad valorem duty on their products under the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944. The main contention was regarding the basis for assessing excise duty, with petitioners arguing for using their sale prices to distributors as the basis, rather than the prices at which distributors sold to wholesale dealers. Another issue raised was the denial of certain deductions, particularly trade discount, by the authorities. The petitioners claimed that the trade discount should be allowed as per the Explanation to Section 4 of the Act. The authorities held that the wholesale market for assessment was in Bombay, not mofussil places, and that the trade discount referred to in Section 4 was a cash discount, not gifts in kind. The court examined the concept of trade discount, emphasizing that it must operate as a deduction from the price payable by the purchaser. While gifts given by distributors were not considered trade discounts, the court found no reason to deny a deduction for quantity discount, as it effectively reduced the price charged to purchasers. The court clarified that a trade discount need not always be in monetary form and could include deductions in the form of goods. The court directed the authorities to reconsider the petitioners' claim for deduction for quantity discount, as it could amount to a trade discount. The authorities were instructed to modify the order if necessary based on established facts. If any refund became due to the petitioners as a result, it should be processed accordingly. The petition was dismissed, with costs to be borne by the petitioners.
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