Ujjain Engicon INDIA Private Limited vs. The State Of Bihar
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Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
ORAL ORDER (Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MADHURESH PRASAD) 2 25-02-2023 The instant writ petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking following reliefs:- “i) Quashing of the ex parte order dated 28.02.2020 passed in connection
with Reference
NO. ZA100220010910P under Section 73 of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 2/6 whereby, the Input Tax Credit (Tax period August 2018 to December 2018; corresponding to financial year 2018-19) admissible to any assessee has been disallowed and an amount of Rs. 2,15,80,446.70 has been ascertained to be recoverable for which DRC-07 has been directed to be issued; (ii) Quashing of the order in appeal dated 16.12.2021 passed by the appellate authority in connection with Appeal No. AD 1003200024049 by which, without adverting to any of the single grounds taken in the Appeal by most cryptic and vague order, the appeal has been rejected and the demand has been affirmed; (iii)
Quashing
of the consequential order / notice dated 07.01.2023 to third person issued under Section 79 (1) (c) for recovery by which, an amount of Rs. 3,97,46,810.00 has been directed to be recovered from the admissible payment etc. of the petitioner as contained in Letter bearing Memo No. 183 dated 07.01.2023, 184 dated 07.01.2023, 185 dated 07.01.2023 and 186 dated 07.01.2023 (Annexure 4 Series); and (iv) Restraining the respondents from giving effect to for taking any 3/6 coercive action in consequence of the order in original dated 28.01.2020 (Annexure 1) and, the appellate order dated 16.12.2021 (Annexure 3) and all other consequential actions contained in Annexure 4 Series arising there from relating to (Tax period August 2018 to December 2018; corresponding to financial year 2018-19).” The petitioner is desirous of availing statutory remedy of appeal against the impugned order before the Appellate Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as "Tribunal") under Section 112 of the Bihar Goods and Services Tax Act (hereinafter referred to as "B.G.S.T. Act"). However, due to non-constitution of the Tribunal, the petitioner is deprived of his statutory remedy under Sub-Section (8) and Sub-Section (9) of Section 112 of the B.G.S.T. Act. Under the circumstances, the petitioner is also prevented from availing the benefit of stay of recovery of balance amount of tax in terms of Section 112 (8) and (9) of the B.G.S.T Act upon deposit of the amounts as contemplated under Sub-section (8) of Section 112. The respondent State authorities have acknowledged the fact of non-constitution of the Tribunal and come out with a notification bearing Order No. 09/2019-State Tax, S.O. 399, 4/6 State of Bihar & Anr. passed in C.W.J.C No. 1920 of 2023 has disposed of the writ petition with certain observations and directions, allowing certain liberty to the petitioner, which reads as follows: “If the petitioner makes a deposit of a sum equal to 20 percent of the remaining amount of tax in dispute, in addition to the amount deposited earlier under Sub- Section (6) of Section 107 of the B.G.S.T. Act, then the petitioner must be extended the statutory benefit of stay under Sub- Section (9) of Section 112 of the B.G.S.T. Act, for he cannot be deprived of the benefit, due to non-constitution of the Tribunal by the respondents themselves. The recovery of balance amount, and 5/6 any steps that may have been taken in this regard will thus be deemed to be stayed. The statutory relief of stay on deposit of the statutory amount, in the opinion of this Court, cannot be open ended. For balancing the equities, therefore, the Court is of the opinion that since order is being passed due to non-constitution of the Tribunal by the respondent- Authorities, the petitioner would be required to present/file his appeal under Section 112 of the B.G.S.T. Act, once the Tribunal is constituted and made functional and the President or the State President may enter office.
The appeal would be required to be filed observing the statutory requirements after coming into existence of the Tribunal, for facilitating consideration of the appeal. In case the petitioner chooses not to avail the remedy of appeal by filing any appeal under Section 112 of the B.G.S.T. Act before the Tribunal within the period which may be specified upon constitution of the Tribunal, the respondent- 6/6 Authorities would be at liberty to proceed further in the matter, in accordance with law. With the above liberty, observation and directions, the writ application stands disposed of.” The instant writ petition is disposed of in the same terms, allowing the petitioner liberty as has been granted to the petitioner in C.W.J.C. No. 1920 of 2023. shyambihari/- (Chakradhari Sharan Singh, ACJ) ( Madhuresh Prasad, J) U
Reproduced from the public record of the Patna High Court. Verify against the court's own copy before relying on it. Income tax judgments are on bharattax.net.