15. Appeal.—(1) Any person aggrieved by any decision or order made by the Adjudicating Authority
under this Act may prefer an appeal,—
(a) where the decision or order has been made by the Director General, to the Central
Government;
(b) where the decision or order has been made by an officer subordinate to the Director General,
to the Director General or to any officer superior to the Adjudicating Authority authorised by the
Director General to hear the appeal,
within a period of forty-five days from the date on which the decision or order is served on such person:
Provided that the Appellate Authority may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by
sufficient cause from preferring the appeal within the aforesaid period, allow such appeal to be preferred
within a further period of thirty days:
Provided further that in the case of an appeal against a decision or order imposing a penalty or
redemption charges, no such appeal shall be entertained unless the amount of penalty or redemption
charges has been deposited by the appellant:
Provided also that, where the Appellate Authority is of opinion that the deposit to be made will cause
undue hardship to the appellant, it may, at its discretion, dispense with such deposit either unconditionally
or subject to such conditions as it may impose.
(2) The Appellate Authority may, after giving to the appellant a reasonable opportunity of being
heard, if he so desires, and after making such further inquiries, if any, as it may consider necessary, make
such orders as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or reversing the decision or order appealed against, or
may send back the case with such directions, as it may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or decision, as the
case may be, after taking additional evidence, if necessary:
Provided that an order enhancing or imposing a penalty or redemption charges or confiscating 2
[the
goods (including the goods connected with services or technology)] of a greater value shall not be made
under this section unless the appellant has been given an opportunity of making a representation, and, if
he so desires, of being heard in his defence.
(3) The order made in appeal by the Appellate Authority shall be final.
3
[16. Review.—The Central Government, in the case of any decision or order made by the Director
General, or the Director General in the case of any decision or order made by any officer subordinate to
him, may on its or his own motion or otherwise, call for and examine the records of any proceeding, for
1. Subs. by Act 25 of 2010, s. 16, for “REVISION” (w.e.f.27-8-2010).
2. Subs. by s. 17, ibid., for “goods” (w.e.f.27-8-2010).
3. Subs. by s. 18, ibid., for section 16 (w.e.f.27-8-2010).
12
the purpose of satisfying itself or himself, as the case may be, as to the correctness, legality or propriety of
such decision or order and make such orders thereon as may be deemed fit:
Provided that no decision or order shall be varied under this section so as to prejudicially affect any
person unless such person—
(a) has, within a period of two years from the date of such decision or order, received a notice to
showcause why such decision or order shall not be varied; and
(b) has been given a reasonable opportunity of making representation and, if he so desires, of
being heard in his defence.]
17. Powers of Adjudicating and other Authorities.—(1) Every authority making any adjudication
or hearing any appeal or exercising any powers of 1
[review] under this Act shall have all the powers of a
civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the
following matters, namely:—
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of any document;
(c) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office;
(d) receiving evidence on affidavits; and
(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents.
(2) Every authority making any adjudication or hearing any appeal or exercising any powers of
1
[review] under this Act shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of sections 345 and 346 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
(3) Every authority making any adjudication or hearing any appeal or exercising any powers of
1
[review] under this Act shall have the power to make such orders of an interim nature as it may think fit
and may also, for sufficient cause, order the stay of operation of any decision or order.
(4) Clerical or arithmetical mistakes in any decision or order or errors arising therein from any
accidental slip or omission may at any time be corrected by the authority by which the decision or order
was made, either on its own motion or on the application of any of the parties:
Provided that where any correction proposed to be made under this sub-section will have the effect of
prejudicially affecting any person, no such correction shall be made except after giving to that person a
reasonable opportunity of making a representation in the matter and no such correction shall be made
after the expiry of two years from the date on which such decision or order was made.