57. Refund on account of objection

The procedure for the refund of any amount due in consequence of an order made pursuant to an objection, or any other proceeding under the Act, shall be that provided in rule 34.

57A.  Filing of appeal before Appellate Tribunal

(1)  Every appeal shall be presented in the form of a memorandum of appeal which shall be -

(a)  in Form DVAT-38A when the appeal is against an order of assessment;

(b)  written on a standard watermarked judicial paper when the appeal is against any other order or decision.

(2)  Every memorandum of appeal shall be accompanied by a fee prescribed in Annexure 1 of these rules.

(3)  Every memorandum of appeal shall contain a clear statement of facts, precise ground of appeal and relief claimed.

(4)  Every appeal shall be filed in triplicate and shall be accompanied by three copies (at least one of which shall be certified) of the order appealed against and three copies of the order of the original authority. Copies, other than those that are certified, shall be attested by the appellant or his authorised representative as true copies.

(5)  An appeal to the Appellate Tribunal shall be signed by the appellant and shall be presented by him in person or by his authorised representative to the Appellate Tribunal or to an officer authorised by the Appellate Tribunal.

(6)  Where an appeal is made after the expiry of the period specified in sub-section (2) of section 76, it shall be accompanied by a petition duly verified setting forth the facts showing sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the said period.

(7)  Where the appeal is made without payment in full of the tax or any penalty in respect of which the appeal is being preferred, the memorandum of appeal shall be accompanied by a petition duly verified stating the facts on which the appellant relies to satisfy the Appellate Tribunal to entertain his appeal without such payment or on payment of such lesser amount as remains unpaid.

(8)  Every appeal where fresh evidence is sought to be produced, shall be accompanied by a memorandum of evidence sought to be produced, stating clearly the reasons why such evidence was not adduced before the authority against whose order the appeal is being preferred.

57B. Furnishing of security

Where the Appellate Tribunal orders an appellant to furnish security under the proviso to sub-section (4) of section 76, the appellant shall furnish the security in any one of the modes specified in rule 23 of these rules, as the Appellate Tribunal may direct and subject to the conditions specified therein.

57C. Hearing of the appeal or application

(1)  If the Appellate Tribunal does not reject the appeal summarily, it shall fix a date for its hearing and send a notice to the appellant and the Commissioner. The Appellate Tribunal may, before deciding the appeal, hold such further enquiry or direct it to be held by the authority against whose decision the appeal has been preferred, as may appear necessary to the Appellate Tribunal. The Commissioner may be represented by a person authorized by him.

(2)  The Appellate Tribunal shall not, for the first time receive in evidence on behalf of the appellant, an account, register, record or other documents, unless it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from producing such documents before the authority against whose order the appeal has been preferred.

(3)  The Appellant Tribunal shall not, at the hearing of appeal allow the appellant to go into any ground of appeal not specified in memorandum of appeal unless the Appellate Tribunal is satisfied that omission of that ground therefrom was not willful or unreasonable.