Shri O M Santhosh Kumar vs. State Of Karnataka

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WP/2743/2025HC KarnatakaGSTCNR KAHC01005798202508 December 2025Bench: S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR9 pages
For Petitioner: SRI. LAKSHMI MENON, ADVOCATEFor Respondent: SRI. HEMA KUMAR K., AGA FOR R1, R4 TO R6 & R8; SRI. JEEVAN J. NEERALGI, ADVOCATE FOR R2, R3 & R9; SRI. AJITH ACHAPPA, ADVOCATE FOR R7; SRI. VIJAY KUMAR V., ADVOCATE FOR R10

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Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 WP No. 2743 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 2743 OF 2025 (T-RES) BETWEEN: SHRI O. M. SANTHOSH KUMAR, AGED 52 YEARS, SON OF SHRI .O R. MANI, OCCUPATION: PWD CONTRACTOR, RESIDING AT NO. 21, SHREEDHAM, LOTUS LANE, S L N EDEN GARDEN, BASAVANAHALLI RASULPURA, GUDDEHOSUR, SOMWARPET, KODAGU – 571 234 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. LAKSHMI MENON, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA FINANCE DEPARTMENT, II FLOOR, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001. REP. BY ADDL. CHIEF SECRETARY. 2. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF GST INTELLIGENCY, MANGALURU REGIONAL UNIT, D. NO. 6-4-103 AND 103/1, ‘BHARAT NIVAS’, OPP. GANDHI PARK, GANDHINAGAR, MANNAGUDDA, MANGALURU – 575 003. 3. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL TAX OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL TAX, MYSURU RURAL DIVISION, S1 AND S2, VINAYA MARG, 2ND FLOOR, SIDDARTHA NAGAR, MYSORE – 570 011. Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 WP No. 2743 of 2025 4. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, KODAGU DIVISION, MADIKERI – 571 201. REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE ENGINEER. 5. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER RURAL DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING DIVISION, MADIKERI – 571 201. REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE ENGINEER. 6. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER PANCHAYAT RAJ ENGINEERING DIVISION, MADIKERI – 571 201. REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE ENGINEER. 7. TALUK PANCHAYAT VIRAJPET KITTURU CHENNAMMA ROAD, VIRAJPET, KODAGU – 571 218 REP. BY ITS PRESIDENT. 8. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER PMGSY DIVISION, PROJECT DIVISION, PWD BUILDING, III FLOOR, MAIDAN ROAD, MANGALORE – 575 001. REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVE ENGINEER. 9. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL TAX, MYSURU RURAL DIVISION, VINAYA MARGA, SIDDHARTHA NAGAR, MYSURU – 570 011. 10. BRANCH MANAGER, FEDERAL BANK, MISBAH MANZIL, GANAPATI STREET, MADIKERI, KODAGU – 571 201. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. HEMA KUMAR K., AGA FOR R1, R4 TO R6 & R8; SRI. JEEVAN J. NEERALGI, ADVOCATE FOR R2, R3 & R9; SRI. AJITH ACHAPPA, ADVOCATE FOR R7; SRI. VIJAY KUMAR V., ADVOCATE FOR R10) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE SHOW CAUSE NOTICE (SCN) BEARING NO.08/2022-23 MRU(DD) - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 WP No. 2743 of 2025 DIN.202209DSS100000033E9 DATED 26.09.2022 (ANNEXURE B) AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, petitioner seeks for the following reliefs:- “a) To issue a writ of Certiorari or order or direction in the nature of Certiorari to set aside the Show Cause Notice (SCN) bearing No.08/2022-23 MRU (DD) DIN:202209DSS100000033E9 dated 26.09.2022 (Annexure-B); b) To issue a writ of Certiorari or order or direction in the nature of Certiorari to set aside and quash the Order- in-Original (O-I-O) No.MYS-GST-000-Mysuru Rural HS-19/2023-24 DIN:20240357YY00008186E9 on 18.03.2024 passed by Respondent No.3 under section 74 of the GST Act, 2017 (Annexure-D); c) To issue a writ of Certiorari or any other writ in the nature of Certiorari to quash and set aside the impugned bank attachment issued in FORm GST DRC 13 bearing DIN No.:20250357YY0000055055F dated 17.03.2025 issued by Respondent No.9 (Annexure-L); d) Alternatively, in the event the demand under section 74 of the GST Act, 2017, Order-in-Original (O-I-O) HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 No.MYS-GST-000-Mysuru Rural HS-19/2023-24 DIN:20240357YY00008186E9 on 18.03.2024 (Annexure-D) is not set aside in toto/or revives due to operation of law, then, issue a writ of Mandamus order or direction in the nature of Mandamus directing the Respondent No.4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 to enter into a Supplementary Tender Agreement, or any other permissible arrangement revise the rate of applicable taxes and pay the differential GST liability imposed on the Petitioner, (CGST and KGST component) and also pay the Petitioner interest at the applicable rates and penalty (CGST and KGST component); e) Grant any other orders that this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper in the interest of justice.”

2.

Karnataka - W.P.No.9721/2019 and connected cases dated 11.04.2023, wherein it is held as under: HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 "

20.

In the result, I pass the following:-

ORDER

(i) Petitions are hereby disposed of.

(ii) The Respondents-State and other Govt agencies / Respondents who have entered into works contract with the Petitioners are issued the following directions / guidelines:- (a) Calculate the works executed pre-GST (prior to 01.07.2017) under KVAT regime and payments received by the Petitioners.

(b) The payments received by the Petitioners pre-GST for such of the works executed before 01.07.2017 are to be assessed under KVAT tax regime – either under COT or VAT scheme as applicable.

(c) Calculate the balance works to be completed or completed after 01.07.2017, in the original contract.

(d) Derive the rate of materials, KVAT items required or used to complete the balance works.

(e) Deduct the "KVAT" amount from those materials and the service tax, if applicable.

(f) Add the applicable "GST" on those items.

(g) Input Credit on the materials is to be arrived at and be set off as against the output GST, for those assessed under regular VAT.

(h) Further, the “tax difference” should be calculated on such balance works executed or to be executed after 01.07.2017 separately.

(i) Based on the result obtained on calculation of the tax difference on the contract value, concerned department/ authority has to HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 decide whether agreement needs to be changed or not.

(j) A supplementary agreement may be signed with the Petitioners for the revised GST- inclusive work value for the Balance Work completed or to be completed as determined above and in case the revised GST-inclusive work value for the Balance Work, completed or to be completed after 01.07.2017, is more than the original agreement work value, the Petitioners are to be paid /reimbursed, as the case may be, the differential tax amount by the concerned employer; so also, in case payments for works completed pre- GST are made post-GST, the concerned employer has to pay or reimburse, as the case may be, the differential tax amount, to the Petitioners.

(iii) Petitioners are directed to submit comprehensive representations to the respective employers/Respondents within a period of 4 weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, irrespective of whether they have completed the works pre-GST or post-GST or payments were received or yet to be received post-GST.

(iv) If such representations are submitted, the respective employers/Respondents are directed to consider and dispose of the same in the light of the aforesaid directions / guidelines as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of 8 weeks from the date of submission of the representations. (v) In view of the interim orders passed by this Court in the present petitions, such of the petitioners who had not filed their GST returns during the period after 01.07.2017 are permitted to file their returns / amended returns, pursuant to HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 the calculation of the differential tax as per procedure above under GST regime, without insisting on interest or penalty or limitation. (vi) The GST authorities are also directed not to take precipitative action against the Petitioners for a period of 6 months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. (vii) Liberty is reserved in favour of the petitioners to challenge any order / decision passed / taken by the respondents or the authorities, subsequent to this order and also take recourse to such remedies as available in law."

4.

A Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of another - W.P.No.104908/2023 dated 29.08.2023 followed the aforesaid order and allowed the petition. The Co- ordinate Bench has held as follows:

"

5.

It is not in dispute that the entire tender process and allocation of work by respondent/Department is post coming into force of Goods and Services Tax. If petitioner, who is a registered Civil Contractor has completed the tender work, respondent/Department being a service recipient is under bounden duty to reimburse GST amount of Rs.2,16,51,903/- in terms of Section 13 of The Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. It is also not in dispute that petitioner, who is a class-I contractor having rendered service, is under mandatory duty to pay GST amount to the HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 department. Equally respondent/Department is under bounden duty to reimburse the GST amount. It is borne out from the records that since necessary payment at the petitioner's end the applicable GST being statutory requirement, the respondent/Department ought to have reimbursed 12% GST amount on the total work done by petitioner. Since, there is total inaction on the part of respondent/Department, this is a fit case where mandamus needs to be issued. For the reasons stated supra, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER

i) Writ petition is allowed. ii) The respondent is hereby directed to reimburse GST amount as indicated in the representation dated 15.04.2023 vide Annexure-E. iii) The respondent/Department shall reimburse the said amount within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order.”

In the light of the issue having been answered by this Court as well as a co-ordinate Bench of this Court (supra), the petition deserves to be allowed.

5.

For the aforesaid reasons, the following: ORDER i. The petition is allowed and disposed of in terms of the aforesaid judgments of this Court in the cases of Chandrashekaraiah and M.G.Arun Kumar referred to in the body of this order. HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:51785 ii. The impugned Show Cause Notice at Annexure-B dated 26.09.2022, impugned Order-in-Original dated 18.03.2024 and the impugned bank attachment dated 17.03.2025 at Annexure-L are hereby quashed and the concerned respondents are directed to rectify / withdraw the demand of the tax liability, interest and penalty accordingly. iii. The concerned respondents are further directed to reimburse the GST amount and differential tax amount in terms of judgments of this Court in the cases of Chandrashekaraiah and M.G.Arun Kumar referred to in the body of this order, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. iv. The concerned respondents are directed to enter into the necessary Supplementary Tender Agreement and proceed further in accordance with law in terms of judgments of this Court in the cases of Chandrashekaraiah and M.G.Arun Kumar referred to in the body of this order. (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE BMC List No.: 2 Sl No.: 49

Reproduced from the public record of the Karnataka High Court. Verify against the court's own copy before relying on it. Income tax judgments are on bharattax.net.