But there are Blunders!
DDT 1599 - 02.05.2011, screamed, “Retrospective Bungling by TRU – Even Parliament Not Spared”. This was about the Finance Bill trying to retrospectively amend the Third Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, when the Central Excise Tariff Act does not have a Third Schedule. So, our bright boys made Parliament amend a Schedule that did not exist. This is clearly contempt of Parliament!
Nothing happened after we pointed out this Himalayan Blunder – Poor boys, they simply could not do anything.
To add insult to injury, nine Commissioners under the Chairmanship of the JS, TRU discussed this impossible and non existent statute. (Please see 03.10.2011)
In this Budget, the Revenue Babus did what they are best at – they corrected their mistake retrospectively.
See Clause 156 of the Finance Bill 2012. By a complicated amendment, they rectified their mistake in such a clever way that nobody will ever understand what the mistake was and what the correction is. Brilliant boys indeed!