(1) In the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2001, made by the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred by section 37 of the Central Excise Act, rule 6 thereof as published in the Official Gazette vide notification of the Government of India the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. G.S.R. 445(E), dated the 21st June, 2001 shall stand amended and shall be deemed to have been amended retrospectively in the manner as specified in column (2) of the Fifth Schedule on and from the corresponding date specified in column (3) or that Schedule against the rule specified in column (1) of that Schedule.
(2) Any action taken or anything done orpurported to have been taken or done at any time during the period commencing on and from the 1st day of July, 2001 and ending with the 28th day of February, 2002 under the rule as amended by sub-section (1), shall be deemed to be, and always to have been, for all purposes, as validly and effectively taken or done as the amendment made by sub-section (1) had been in force at all material times, and accordingly, notwithstanding anything contained in any judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or other authority--
(a) no suit or other proceedings shall be instituted, maintained or continued in any court, tribunal or, as the case may be, other authority against the Central Government or Central Excise Officer for recovery of the amount under the rule as amended by sub-section (1) and no enforcement shall be made by any court, tribunal or other authority of any decree or order for the non-recovery of the said amount, as if the amendments made by that sub-section had been in force at all material times;
(b) recovery shall be made of the amount which has not been paid but which would have been paid as if the amendment made by sub-section (1) had been in force at all material times, within a period of thirty days from the day on which the Finance Bill, 2005 receives the assent of the President.
(3) Notwithstanding the supersession of the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2001 referred to in sub-section (1), for the purposes of that sub-section, the Central Government shall have and shall be deemed to have the power to make rules with retrospective effect as if the Central Government had the power to make rules under section 37 of the Central Excise Act, retrospectively at all material times.
Explanation.--For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that no act or omission on the part of any person shall be punishable as an offence which would not have been so punishable if this section had not come into force.