New Delhi, 3 December (H.S.): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha on Wednesday for consideration and passage, following its introduction on Monday to amend the Central Excise Act, 1944.

The bill revises excise duty rates on tobacco and tobacco products—including unmanufactured tobacco (from 64% to 70%), chewing tobacco (25% to 100%), hookah tobacco (25% to 40%), and smoking mixtures (60% to 325%)—to maintain existing tax levels post-GST compensation cess discontinuation.

Debate continues in the Lower House on these changes, which apply to domestically manufactured goods and aim to offset revenue impacts from GST implementation in 2017 that retained excise only on select sin goods like tobacco.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar