Customs appellate tribunal in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad has finally got its permanent bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) where pending cases of respective commissionerates will be tried.

The decision has come after repeated appeals and petitions by members of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The bench set up at Meghaninagar started functioning from Wednesday.

The bench would consist of a registrar, two jury members and two legal representatives.

"The establishment of the permanent bench will help the litigants in the region in considerably reducing their expenses due to its convenient location," said Justice R K Abichandani, president, CESTAT.

In a message sent to CESTAT, Union finance minister P Chidambaram said that in the long run, the Bench would contribute to further growth of trade, commerce and industry in the region.

He also appealed to the members of the Bar in Ahmedabad and nearby cities to assist the bench in rendering speedy justice to the litigants.