RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/ADP/Q1/IND/5
G/SCM/Q1/IND/5
ORGANIZATION 23April 1997
(97-1757)
Original: English Committee onAnti-Dumping Practices
Committee onSubsidies andCountervailing Measures
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLES 18.5AND 32.6OFTHE AGREEMENTS
Replies ofINDIA1
toQuestions posed byCANADA2andtheUNITED STATES3
Thefollowing communication, dated 22April 1997, hasbeenreceived from thePermanent
Mission ofIndia.
_______________
Replies toquestions from Canada
Q.1. Could India define theterms "judicial member" and"technical member" forpurposes ofthe
Procedure ofAppellate Tribunals assetoutindocument G/ADP/N/1/IND/2/Suppl.1-
G/SCM/N/1/IND/2/Suppl.1, dated 23December 1996? Could India indicate thelegalbasis bywhich
such"members" would bebound toprotect theconfidentiality ofconfidential information thatmay
bebrought before anAppellate Tribunal?
Inasking these questions, Canada would notethatboth"judicial member" and"technical
member" weredefined indocument G/ADP/N/1/IND/2/Suppl.1 dated 5July1996(section 129(2)) which
wascancelled andreplaced bythecurrent document withthesame numerical reference dated
23December 1996.
Reply
Theterms"judicialmember"and"technicalmember"mentionedinSection129C(3)aredefined
inSection 129(2) and(2A)asreproduced below:
(2) Ajudicial member shallbeaperson whohasforatleasttenyears heldajudicial office
intheterritory ofIndia orwhohasbeenamember oftheCentral Legal Service and
hasheldapostinGrade Iofthatservice oranyequivalent orhigher postforatleast
three years, orwhohasbeenanadvocate foratleasttenyears.
1G/ADP/N/1/IND/2+Suppl.1-G/SCM/N/1/IND/2+Suppl.1.
2G/ADP/Q1/IND/3-G/SCM/Q1/IND/3,3G/ADP/Q1/IND/4-G/SCM/Q1/IND/4.G/ADP/Q1/IND/5
G/SCM/Q1/IND/5
Page2
Explanation -Forthepurpose ofthissubsection:
(i) incomputing theperiod during which aperson hasheldjudicial office inthe
territory ofIndia, there shallbeincluded anyperiod, afterhehasheldany
judicial office, during which theperson hasbeenanadvocate orhasheldthe
office ofamember ofatribunal oranypost, under theUnion oraState,
requiring special knowledge oflaw;
(ii) incomputing theperiod during which aperson hasbeenanadvocate, there
shallbeincluded anyperiod during which theperson hasheldajudicial office,
ortheoffice ofamember ofatribunal oranypost,under theUnion oraState,
requiring special knowledge oflawafterhebecame anadvocate.
(2A) Atechnical member shallbeaperson whohasbeenamember oftheIndian Customs
andCentral Excise Service, Group A,andhasheldthepostofCommissioner of
Customs orCentral Excise oranyequivalent orhigher postforatleastthree years.
Q.2. Could India indicate whatlegalstandard willbeusedbytheTribunal andwhether theTribunal
procedure andtheprocedure ofBenches, bothofwhich aretoberegulated bytheAppellate Tribunal,
willfollow theprinciples ofdueprocess andfairness? WilltheTribunal 'sprocedures allow forprompt
decisions inthese cases where adelay could havesignificant implications fortheparties involved?
Reply
Anyproceeding before theAppellate Tribunal isdeemed tobeajudicial proceeding. The
Tribunal, therefore, follows theprinciples ofnatural justice including theprinciples ofdueprocess
andfairness. Theconcerned parties canrequest foranearly hearing andprompt decisions incases
where adelay could havesignificant implications fortheparties involved.
Q.3. Could India provide anexplanation ofthevarious laws/legal provisions noted in
paragraph 129C(8) oftheirrelationship toanAppellate Tribunal?
Reply
Theobjective ofSection 129(8) oftheCustoms Act1962istoclarify thatproceedings before
theAppellate Tribunal arejudicial proceedings andthattheAppellate Tribunal hasthepowers ofa
CivilCourt i.e.aCourt ofJustice. TheIndian Penal Code, 1860, andTheCode ofCriminal Procedures
1973 arepublic documents.
Replies toquestions from theUnited States
Q.1. Please describe whether andhowtheAppellate Tribunal isindependent fromtheauthorities
responsible fortheantidumping orcountervailing dutydetermination orreview thatissubject toappeal.
Reply
TheAppellate Tribunal isindependent from theauthorities responsible fortheanti-dumping
orcountervailing dutydetermination orreview thatissubject toappeal. Theformer isconstituted
under theCustoms Act1962 while thelatter isappointed under theRules made under theCustoms
Tariff Act1975.G/ADP/Q1/IND/5
G/SCM/Q1/IND/5
Page3
Q.2. Subsection 6ofSection 129C states thattheAppellate Tribunal shallhavepower toregulate
itsownprocedures andtheprocedure oftheBenches. Willsuchprocedures bepublished andavailable
toallinterested parties?
Reply
Yes.TheprocedurehasbeenprescribedundertheCustomsExciseandGold(Control)Appellate
Tribunal (Procedure) Rules 1982, which isapublic document.
Q.3. Willallinterested parties whoparticipated intheadministrative proceeding subject toappeal
haveaccess toreview bytheAppellate Tribunal? What procedures mustaninterested party follow
inorder tobring anappeal before theAppellate Tribunal?
Reply
Under Section 9CoftheCustoms Tariff Act1975, anappeal against theorder ofdetermination
orreview thereof regarding theexistence, degree andeffect ofanysubsidy ordumping inrelation
toimport ofanyarticle shalllietotheAppellate Tribunal. Theprocedures arelaiddown intheRules
referred inanswer toquestion 2above.
Q.4. Arethere anylimitations onwhatcanbeappealed? Forexample, canquestions concerning
bothinjury anddumping/subsidization beappealed, andcanquestions ofbothlawandfactbeappealed?
Reply
Theorder ofdetermination orreview thereof regarding theexistence, degree andeffect of
anysubsidy ordumping inrelation toimport ofanyarticle canbeappealed. Itisimplied thatquestions
ofbothlawandfactcanbeappealed.
Q.5. IstheAppellate Tribunal thefinallevelofreview orcananinterested party appeal thedecision
oftheAppellate Tribunal toahigher leveltribunal?
Reply
AnAppeal against anorder passed bytheAppellate Tribunal liestotheSupreme Court of
India.
Q.6. Could youplease clarify themeaning ofsubsections 4(a)and(b)ofSection 129C concerning
thecircumstances under which asingle member oftheAppellate Tribunal maydecide anappeal. In
circumstances where asingle member oftheAppellate Tribunal maydispose ofanappeal, isenbanc
review available?
Reply
Provisions ofsubsection (4)ofSection 129C arenotrelevant forcases ofappeal against orders
concerning anti-dumping/countervailing duties.
Q.7. What isthestandard ofreview oftheAppellate Tribunal anddoesitvarydepending onthe
nature oftheissue onappeal?
Reply
Thequestionisnotclear.However,theAppellateTribunalisajudicialbodyfollowingprinciples
oflegaljurisprudence andnatural justice.