Increase in Excise Duty and Cess on High Speed Diesel and Amendments to Notifications

Notification / Circular No.: 14/2026-Central Excise, 15/2026-Central Excise, 16/2026-Central Excise, 17/2026-Central Excise, 18/2026-Central Excise dated April 11, 2026

Applicable Act / Rule: Finance Act, 2002; Finance Act, 2018; Central Excise Act, 1944

Applicable Section / Rule: Section 147 of the Finance Act, 2002; Sections 111 and 112 of the Finance Act, 2018; Section 5A of the Central Excise Act, 1944

The Central Government levies Special Additional Excise Duty and Road and Infrastructure Cess on High Speed Diesel under the Finance Act, 2002 and Finance Act, 2018 respectively. Prior notifications dated March 26, 2026 had specified applicable duty and cess rates and related exemptions. The present notifications amend the rates and corresponding entries in schedules and earlier notifications. These changes are issued considering the need for immediate revision of duties and cess on High Speed Diesel.

  1. Notification No. 14/2026-Central Excise
    “In the Eighth Schedule to the Finance Act, 2002, against Item No. 2, for the entry in column (3), the entry ‘Rs. 24 per litre’ shall be substituted.”
  2. Notification No. 15/2026-Central Excise
    “In the Sixth Schedule to the Finance Act, 2018, against Item No. 2, for the entry in column (3), the entry ‘Rs. 36 per litre’ shall be substituted.”
  3. Notification No. 16/2026-Central Excise (Amendment to Notification No. 06/2026 dated March 26, 2026)
    “In the said notification, in the Table, against serial number 2, in column (4), for the entry, the entry ‘Rs. 24 per litre’ shall be substituted.”
  4. Notification No. 17/2026-Central Excise (Amendment to Notification No. 08/2026 dated March 26, 2026)
    “In the said notification, in the Table, against serial number 1, in column (4), for the entry, the entry ‘Rs. 42 per litre’ shall be substituted.”
  5. Notification No. 18/2026-Central Excise (Amendment to Notification No. 11/2026 dated March 26, 2026)
    “In the said notification, in the Table, against serial number 2, in column (4), for the entry, the entry ‘Rs. 31.5 per litre’ shall be substituted.”

All the above notifications state that they “shall come into force with immediate effect.”

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