M/S Joy-N- Funworks Private Limited vs. State Of Uttar Pradesh And Another

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WTAX/2359/2025HC AllahabadGSTCNR UPHC01246612202525 May 20252 pages
For Petitioner: Pranjal Shukla, Dheeraj Dwivedi
AI SummaryRemanded

Facts

The petitioner, M/s Joy-N-Funworks Private Limited, filed a writ petition challenging an ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024, issued by the Deputy Commissioner, State Tax Jurisdiction Noida, Sector-1, Gautam Buddh Nagar. The order was passed under Section 73 of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The petitioner contended that the impugned order did not comply with the requirements of Section 75(6) of the Act. The respondent, State of Uttar Pradesh and another, attempted to support the order but did not dispute that the issue was covered by a previous judgment of the Court in M/s Hari Shanker Transport Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Tax U.P.

Held

The Court held that the ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024, similar to the order in the cited case of M/s Hari Shanker Transport, did not contain any reasons and merely incorporated the indication made in the show cause notice by reference. This failure to set out the relevant facts and the basis of the decision contravened the mandatory requirements of Section 75(6) of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The Court reiterated that even if no response was filed to the notices, it was incumbent upon the proper officer to pass a self-contained order that complies with statutory provisions. Therefore, the order could not be sustained. The Court quashed and set aside the ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024 and remanded the matter back to the respondent No.2. The petitioner was granted an opportunity to file a response to the show cause notice within four weeks, after which a fresh order in accordance with law was to be passed.

Key Issues

1. Whether the ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024, issued under Section 73 of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, is liable to be quashed and set aside for non-compliance with Section 75(6) of the Act? Petitioner's Argument: The petitioner argued that the impugned order failed to fulfill the requirements of Section 75(6) of the Act, which mandates that the proper officer shall set out the relevant facts and the basis of his decision in his order. The petitioner relied on the judgment in M/s Hari Shanker Transport Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Tax U.P. to support this contention. Respondent's Argument: The learned counsel for the respondents attempted to support the order impugned but did not dispute that the issue raised by the petitioner was covered by the judgment in M/s Hari Shanker Transport (supra).

Sections Cited

Section 73, Section 75(6)

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:88902-DB Chief Justice's Court Case :- WRIT TAX No. - 2359 of 2025 Petitioner :- M/s Joy-N- Funworks Private Limited Respondent :- State of Uttar Pradesh and another Counsel for Petitioner :- Pranjal Shukla, Dheeraj Dwivedi Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C., Ankur Agarwal (S.C.) Hon'ble Arun Bhansali, Chief Justice Hon'ble Kshitij Shailendra, J.

1.

This writ petition is directed against ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024 issued by the Deputy Commissioner, State Tax Juri iction Noida, Sector-1, Gautam Buddh Nagar (B) under Section 73 of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. 2. Learned counsel with reference to judgment in M/s Hari U.P. : Writ Tax No. 606 of 2025, decided on 11.03.2025, made submissions that the order impugned does not fulfill the requirement of Section 75(6) of the Act and, therefore, the order impugned deserves to be quashed and set aside and the matter be remanded back.

3.

Learned counsel appearing for the respondents attempted to support the order impugned, however, does not dispute that the issue as raised is covered by the judgment in the case of M/s Hari Shanker Transport (supra).

4.

In the case of M/s Hari Shanker Transport (supra), this Court, after hearing the parties, came to the following conclusion:- "

7.

A bare look at the order impugned dated 27.04.2024 passed under Section 73(9) of the Act reveals that the same only makes reference to issuance of two notices, the fact that they have not been responded to,

and a demand has been raised.

8.

The manner of passing of order dated 27.04.2024 falls foul of the requirements of Section 75(6) of the Act, which requires that 'the proper officer, in his order shall set out the relevant facts and the basis of his decision', the statutory requirements for passing an order by setting out relevant facts and basis for the decision are totally missing from the order dated 27.04.2024. Even if no response was filed to the notices issued under Sections 61 and 73 of the Act, it was incumbent on respondent no.2 to pass an order in compliance of the provisions of Section 75(6) of the Act, as a final order should be self contained and merely making reference to the previous notices while passing the said order does not suffice for making it a self contained order.

9.

Consequently, the petition is allowed. The order dated 27.04.2024 (Annexure-6 to the writ petition) is quashed and set aside. The matter is remanded back to respondent no.2/Deputy Commissioner, State Tax, Sector-3, Sonbhadra to provide an opportunity of filing response to the show cause notice issued under Section 73 of the Act to the petitioner, which response shall be filed within a period of four weeks from today and thereafter, after providing opportunity of hearing, a fresh order in accordance with law be passed."

5.

Admittedly, in the present case, ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024 also does not contain any reason and only the indication made in the show cause notice has been incorporated by reference and, therefore, the said order cannot be sustained.

6.

Consequently, the writ petition is allowed.

7.

The ex parte demand order dated 17.08.2024 (Annexure - 5 to the writ petition) is quashed and set aside. The matter is remanded back to respondent No.2, who shall provide an opportunity of filing response to the show cause notice issued under Section 73 of the Act to the petitioner, which response shall be filed within a period of four weeks from today and, thereafter, after providing opportunity of hearing, a fresh order in accordance with law be passed. Order Date :- 26.5.2025 AHA/Jyotsana (Kshitij Shailendra, J) (Arun Bhansali, CJ) AFZAL HUSAIN ABBASI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

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