ASSTT COLLECTOR OF CENTRAL EXCISE vs BATA INDIA

The Supreme Court addressed the applicability of the exemption notification under the Central Excise and Salt Act concerning footwear priced above the exemption limit. It held that the assessable value for excise duty must account for the excise duty itself, allowing manufacturers to claim exemption even if the wholesale price exceeds the specified limit, provided the net value after deduction falls within the exemption threshold. The Court clarified that the exemption applies if the effective price, after deducting excise duty, is at or below the limit set by the notification.