The Customs Act was formulated in 1962 to prevent illegal imports and exports of goods. Besides, all imports are sought to be subject to a duty with a view to affording protection to indigenous industries as well as to keep the imports to the minimum in the interests of securing the exchange rate of Indian currency.
* The general rate of Basic Excise Duty (BED) remains unchanged.
* 1% cess for secondary and higher education introduced.
* For small scale excemption, the turnover ceiling is increased from Rs 10 million to Rs 15 million.
* The valuation rule for all the goods manufactured by job worker has been introduced.
* The effective rates on petrol and diesel is reduced from 8 per cent to 6 per cent.
* The settlement commission provisions is to be amended.
* The e-payment has become mandatory in cases where the annual excise duty payable is in excess of Rs 5 million.
Duties of customs are levied on goods imported or exported from India at the rate specified under the customs Tariff Act, 1975 as amended from time to time or any other law for the time being in force. For the purpose of exercising proper surveillance over imports and exports, the Central Government has the power to notify the ports and airports for the unloading of the imported goods and loading of the exported goods, the places for clearance of goods imported or to be exported, the routes by which above goods may pass by land or inland water into or out of Indian and the ports which alone shall be coastal ports

The Significance of Central Excise Duty

Central excise revenue is the biggest single source of revenue for the Government of India. The Union Government tries to achieve different socio-economic objectives by making suitable adjustments in the scope and quantum of levy of Central Excise duty. The scheme of Central Excise levy is suitably adapted and modified to serve different purposes of price control, sufficient supply of essential commodities, industrial growth, promotion of small scale industries and like Authority for collecting the Central Excise duty.

Article 265 of the Constitution of India has laid down that both levy and collection of taxes shall be under the authority of law. The excise duty is levied in pursuance of Entry 45 of the Central List in Government of India Act,1935 as adopted by entry 84 of List I of the seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Charging section is Section 3 of the Central Excises and Salt Act,1944.

Liability to pay Central Excise Duty

Section 3 of the Central excises and Salt Act,1944 provides that there shall be levied and collected in such manner as may be prescribed, duties of excise on all excisable goods other than salt which are produced or manufactured in India at the rates set forth in the schedule to the Central excise Tariff Act,1985.it is therefore clear that as soon as the goods in question are produced or manufactured, they will be liable to payment of Excise duty. However for convenience duty is collected at the time of removal of the goods. While Section 3 of the Central Excises and salt Act,1944 lays down the taxable event, Rules 9 and 49 of the Central excise Rules,1944 provides for the collection of duty.