M/S Pragathi Concretes And Construction vs. The Commissioner Of Commercial Taxes - Karnataka High Court, 13 January 2026

Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances

- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1864 WP No. 37999 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV WRIT PETITION NO. 37999 OF 2025 (T-RES) BETWEEN: 1. M/S PRAGATHI CONCRETES AND CONSTRUCTION 49 KATA NO.01. BIDARAHALLI, ADUR VILLAGE, 2 HOBLI, K R PURAM EAST TALUK, BENGALURU URBAN - 560 036 REPRESENTED BY ITS PROPRIETOR SHRI. SRINIVAS KEMPANAHALLI EARAPPA PROPRIETORSHIP CONCERN … PETITIONER (BY SMT. BHARGAVI S V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES VANIJYA THERIGE BHAVAN, GANDHINAGAR, BENGALURU-560 009 2. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES, LGSTO-37, NO.58, 1ST FLOOR, KAT-2ND STAGE, DEFENCE COLONY, 100-FEET ROAD, INDIRANAGAR, BENGALURU- 560 038 … RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. JYOTHI M. MARADI, HCGP) Digitally signed by VIJAYA P Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1864 WP No. 37999 of 2025 THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO QUASH THE ADJUDICATION ORDER - FOR THE PERIOD 2020-21 VIDE ORDER DATED 27.01.2025 VIDE NO. ACCT/LGSTO-37/ 3B VS 2A/DRC 07/2024-25, AND THE DRC-07 BEARING REF. NO. ZD2901251006060 AT ANNEXURE-C AND C1 AND ETC. THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV

ORAL ORDER

Petitioner has called in question the correctness of the adjudication order for the period 2020-21, copy of which is enclosed at Annexure-C.

It is the case of the petitioner that the order of adjudication passed under Section 73(9) of the Karnataka Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, was an order that was passed ex-parte. It is submitted that the notices were not served. It is further submitted that though notices were stated to have been sent through email to the email ID of the petitioner, petitioner is not familiar with electronic communication and accordingly, not being aware of the show cause notice has not replied to the same. It is further submitted that the Court may take note of the HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1864 bonafide lapse and set aside the order of adjudication and remand the matter for adjudication afresh reserving liberty to the petitioner to file reply to the show cause notice.

Perused the order of adjudication dated 27.01.2025. Learned Additional Government Advocate upon instructions submits that notice has been issued to the registered email ID, which details are available in the GST registration documents and it is the burden of the tax payer to take appropriate steps to make out reply.

Taking note that the order of adjudication is passed without any reply of the petitioner, it would be appropriate to afford an opportunity to the petitioner to make out his reply to the show cause notice which would meet the ends of justice.

Accordingly, taking note that the impugned order of adjudication at Annexure-C is an order that is passed ex-parte, in light of the discussion made above, it would be appropriate to set aside the order at Annexure-C HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1864 and remit the matter to the stage of reply to show cause notice. The reply to the show cause notice to be made within a period of 2 weeks from today.

Petitioner to be present before respondent No.2 along with reply to the show cause notice on 28.01.2026 at 11.30 a.m. Needless to state, if the petitioner does not avail of the opportunity by presenting himself before respondent No.2 on the date fixed, relief of reopening the proceedings extended to the petitioner would stand recalled. In light of the lapse of the petitioner, petitioner to pay a sum of Rs.10,000/- to the High Court Legal Services Authority.

Accordingly, petition is disposed of. All contentions are kept open. (S SUNIL DUTT YADAV) JUDGE