Quarterly return :

(a) Return required to be filed within 20 days after the close of the relevant quarter : As per the second proviso to rule 12(1), the following assesses shall file a quarterly return of production and removal of goods within 20 days after the close of the quarter to which the return relates:

(i) assessee manufacturing processed yarn, unprocessed fabrics falling under Chapter 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 58 or 60 of First Schedule to the Tariff Act; or

(ii) assessee manufacturing readymade garments falling under Chapter 61 or 62 of First Schedule to the Tariff Act, which prior to 1st day of April, 2003 were eligible for an exemption under a notification based on value of clearances in a financial year.

The return shall be filed electronically in the prescribed form [ER-3]. The due dates for quarterly return are given in the following table:

Clearances for textile articles	Due date
First Quarter of the year	20th of July
Second Quarter of the year	20th of October
Third Quarter of the year	20th of January
Fourth Quarter of the year	20th of April

(b) Return required to be filed within 10 days after the close of the relevant quarter by SSI [Third proviso to rule 12(1)]: An assessee eligible to avail the exemption under a notification based on value of clearances in a financial year (SSI) shall file a quarterly return of production and removal of goods within 10 days after the close of the quarter to which the return relates.

The return shall be filed electronically in the prescribed form [ER-3].

Applicability of the provision: Above provision is applicable to a unit who is “eligible” to claim SSI exemption regardless of whether he actually claims it or opts to pay duty. Further, the said provision is applicable to an “eligible” unit for the entire financial year even if it crosses the limit of ` 400 lakh (aggregate value of clearances) in the current financial year.

Meaning of eligible : An “eligible” unit is one whose aggregate value of clearances did not exceed ` 400 lakh in the preceding financial year.

(c) Return required to be filed by an assessee availing exemption under specified notifications [Fourth proviso to rule 12(1)]: Where an assessee is availing the exemption:-

(i) under Notification No. 1/2011-CE dated 01.03.2011

(ii) in respect of goods falling under Sl.No.67, 128, 199(I) and 200(I) [mentioned below], of Notification No. 12/2012-CE dated 17.03.2012

and does not manufacture any other excisable goods other than those speci fied in the said notification, he shall file a quarterly return in Form ER-8, of production and removal of goods and other relevant particulars, within 10 days after the close of the quarter to which the return relates.

S. No.	Particulars
67	Coal, briquettes, ovoids and similar solid fuels manufactured from coal
128	All goods mentioned in Chapter 31 (fertilizers), other than those which are clearly not to be used as fertilisers
199(I)	Articles of jewellery under heading 7113
200(I)	Articles of goldsmiths’ or silversmiths’ wares of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal, bearing a brand name under heading 7114

Steps to be taken by assessee for filing of returns are as under:

(i) The manufacturer shall ensure that his registers – Daily Stock Account for finished goods, cenvat account for details of the credits claimed for the period, register of inputs and capital goods cleared as such, personal ledger account for cash payments, register for goods rejected and repaired/processed and the register for job work (goods sent for job work and details of credits reversed) are ready for the purpose of filing the returns. Where they are not ready, the same are to be filled up by gathering the required details from the invoices/challans as the case may be.

(ii) Once the registers are filled up, the figures are to be totaled and checked for accuracy and correctness by comparing the monthly totals with the figures as per the financial ledgers which could sometimes indicate entries missed out.

(iii) The manufacturer should ascertain the balance of credit on hand at the end of the month and if the same is insufficient to pay off the liability, the shortage should be met through cash payment in the designated bank. If he has not paid the amount already , the same is to be paid with interest at 13% p.a. for the delayed period.

(iv) The figures as per the registers should then be carried on to the Excise returns in the relevant columns and boxes. The details that are to be normally entered are – item description, tariff heading, details of nature of clearance (whether export or under notification), duty payable, duty paid through cenvat credit and in cash, details of cenvat credit giving break up of the cenvat credit on inputs, capital goods and input services and utilization of the same etc.

(v) The returns after being filled up should be compared with the registers for errors in posting if any and then filed with the Department with a covering letter and dated acknowledgement obtained. Where it is filed electronically, the procedure laid down in the departmental website is to be followed.