53.  Interest on delayed refund:-

(1) Where an amount required to be refunded by the Commissioner to any person, by virtue of the provisions contained in section 51 or by virtue of an order passed under any other provision of this Act, is not so refunded to him within ninety days of the end of the respective period provided in section 51 or, as the case may be, of the date of the said order, the Commissioner shall pay such person simple interest at the prescribed rate on the said amount from the date immediately following the expiry of the period of ninety days to the date of the refund:

(1A) In case of refunds, which become due on or after the commencement of the Maharashtra Tax Laws (Levy, Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017, the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be applicable, if the delay in granting refund is more than sixty days.

Provided that, where the amount becomes refundable by virtue of an order of the Tribunal or the High Court or the Supreme Court, the interest under the provisions of this section shall be payable from the date immediately following the expiry of period of ninety days from the date of receipt of the order of the Tribunal, the High Court or the Supreme Court, by the officer whose order forms the subject of the proceedings before the Tribunal, the High Court or the Supreme Court, to the date of refund. The applicant dealer or person may supply to the said officer a certified copy of such order and if the copy is so furnished, interest shall become payable after the expiry of period of ninety days from the date of such supply.

Explanation.- If the delay in granting the refund within the period of ninety days aforesaid is attributable to the said person, whether wholly or in part, the period of the delay attributable to him shall be excluded from the period for which interest is payable.

(2)  Where any question arises as to the period to be excluded for the purposes of calculation of interest under the provisions of this section, such question shall be determined by the Commissioner, whose decision shall be final.