The Supreme Court has allowed the central tax collection agencies, including Customs and Income Tax departments, to file appeals and Special Leave Petitions in tax related cases within 300 days instead of the usual 200 days of the lower court's verdict.

The order, though temporary, will give more time to tax collection agencies and their litigation departments to present their cases before the apex Court with additional details and facts and make them watertight.

"The enhanced time limit indicates that our cases will now not be summarily dismissed. They will be heard on merit. This will help in presenting the cases better and will go a long way in ensuring enhanced revenue collections," a senior Revenue Department official said.

The cases would be supplemented by more factualities hence making them watertight.

On an average, around 1,000 to 1,500 Income Tax and 400 to 500 Customs and Excise cases are filed in a year by the way of appeals and Special Leave Petitions in the apex Court.

The Supreme Court in a verdict on October 17 had said, "generally this court dismisses Civil Appeals/ Special Leave Petitions beyond a period of 200 days. However, keeping in mind present exigency, we are relaxing this norm in respect of Appeals/ Special Leave Petitions filed in Tax matters after August, 2008 to 300 days."