Ggn Spinning Mills (P) LTD vs. Sadayaramanujam C

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WMP(MD)/3423/2022HC MadrasGSTCNR HCMD01018750202221 March 2022Bench: HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE C. SARAVANAN4 pages
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Facts

The petitioner, GGN Spinning Mills (P) Ltd., filed a Writ Petition seeking a direction to the Assistant Commissioner (ST) to receive tax dues of Rs. 6,45,414 (till November 2021) and approximately Rs. 2,81,000 (for December 2021) without penalty. The petitioner also requested a temporary User ID and Password to file GST-R1 and GST-R3B returns regularly. This arose from a long-standing dispute between the petitioner and his deceased brother, G. Gurusamy, concerning the management of GGN Spinning Mills Private Limited. The company's name was struck off the Register of Companies in 2018 due to non-compliance with the Companies Act, 2013. The petitioner controlled Unit B, which continued to operate and effect supplies, while Unit A, controlled by the brother's legal heirs (respondents 3-5), had ceased operations and initiated steps to cancel its GST registration. The petitioner filed a Writ Miscellaneous Petition to recall an earlier order and reopen the Writ Petition.

Held

The Court allowed the Miscellaneous Petition, recalling the earlier order and reopening the Writ Petition. The Court held that as long as supplies of goods and services were being effected from Unit B under the petitioner's control, there could be no embargo on the payment of tax. The private dispute between the petitioner and the legal heirs of late G. Gurusamy was to be resolved before the National Company Law Tribunal. However, the Court also directed the petitioner to take steps to revive the company's registration, which had been cancelled due to the failure to file returns. The Court acknowledged the petitioner's liability to pay tax for supplies from Unit B and implicitly accepted the need for a mechanism to facilitate this, as indicated by the initial prayer for temporary credentials.

Key Issues

1. Whether the petitioner, operating Unit B of GGN Spinning Mills (P) Ltd., can be compelled to pay GST on supplies effected from Unit B, despite the company's name being struck off the Register of Companies and a private dispute pending before the National Company Law Tribunal? (Question of law turning on the principles of GST liability and corporate law). Petitioner's arguments: The petitioner contended that as Unit B was under their control and continuing business operations, they were liable to pay GST for the supplies made. They sought to regularize tax payments and file returns. Revenue's arguments: The revenue argued that tax is payable for supplies effected, and the existence of a private dispute or the company's struck-off status does not absolve the petitioner of this liability. The revenue also indicated that the private respondents (legal heirs of the deceased brother) could not prevent the petitioner from carrying on business and paying taxes for Unit B.

Sections Cited

Section 397, Section 398, Companies Act, 1956, Companies Act, 2013

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Heard together (2 matters)

WP(MD)No.22874 of 2021
WP.No.22874/2021

Read from the judgment's own cause title. This page is filed under one of them.

Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
WMP(MD). No.3423 of 2022 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Civil Appellate Jurisdiction Monday, the Twenty First day of March Two Thousand and Twenty Two PRESENT The Hon`ble Mr.Justice C.SARAVANAN WMP(MD)No.3423 of 2022 in WP(MD)No.22874 of 2021 1.GGN Spinning Mills(P)Ltd., 7, East Market, Theni-625 531. 2.G.Susila 3.G.Balamurugan 4.G.Prabhakar ... Petitioners/Respondents 2 to 5 Vs 1.G.Sadayaramanujam ... 1st Respondent/Petitioner 2.The Assistant Commissioner (ST), Commercial Tax, Gandhiji Road, SIDCO Compound, Theni-2. ... 2nd Respondent/ 1st Respondent Prayer in WMP(MD)No.3423 of 2022 :- Writ Miscellaneous Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to Recall the order dated 09.02.2022 in WP.No.22874/2021 and reopen the Writ Petition and pass such further or other orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit. Prayer in WP(MD)No.22874 of 2021:- Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue WRIT OF MANDAMUS or any other appropriate Writ or order or direction in the nature of writ directing the 1st respondent to receive the TAX due of Rs.6,45,414 (Till Nov-21) and Rs.2,81,000 (up to date for December 2021 Approximately) in respect of GSTIN No.33AAACG6670M1ZE without penalty by providing an User ID and Password Temporarily so that the petitioner can file GST -R1 and GST - R3B Returns regularly along with his future Taxes within a time to be stipulated by this Honble Court based on the Communication dated 15.12.2021 by the 1st Respondent. ORDER:- This Writ Miscellaneous Petition coming on for orders on this day and upon perusing the petition and the affidavit filed in 1/4 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ WMP(MD). No.3423 of 2022 support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Mr.S.J.Chakkkaravarthy, Advocate for the Petitioner, Mr.N.Mohan, Advocate for the 1st Respondent and of Mr.M.Prakash, Additional Government Pleader for 2nd Respondent, this Court made the following

order:- A dispute between the petitioner and his brother late G.Gurusamy has been pending before the Company Law Board and now before the National Company Law Tribunal. The facts on record indicate that the dispute pertains to the Management of the Company, called GGN Spinning Mills Private Limited, which is the second respondent in this writ petition. Unit A of the said company was under the control of the petitioner’s brother late G.Gurusamy, whereas the Unit B was under the control of the petitioner.

2.

Earlier, by an interim order, dated 25.06.2003, the then Company Law Board in a proceedings initiated by the petitioner against the second respondent and his brother late G.Gurusamy had passed an interim order on 03.08.2006, by allowing the petitioner to open bank account in a Nationalised Bank in the name of the Company and to operate the said company account for carrying out exclusively day-to-day operation of Unit B of the second respondent company. The Company Petition which was filed before the Company Law Board in Company Petition No.29 of 2003, under Section 397 and 398 of the Companies Act, 1956 is still pending before the National Company Law Tribunal after the Company Law Board was taken over by the National Company Law Tribunal. It appears that after the implementation of the Goods and Service Tax, late G.Gurusamy, brother of the petitioner, who was managing the Company had also obtained a Goods and Service Tax Registration. The Company had failed to comply with the requirements under the Companies Act, 2013 and therefore, the name of the Company was struck off from the Register of Companies. It appears that the name of the Company was struck off as early as 2018 and no steps were taken either by the petitioner or by the petitioner’s brother, late G.Gurusamy.

3.

The facts on record also indicate that the petitioner was required to co-operate with his brother during his life time for restoring the registration of Company to the files of the Registrar of Companies/RD. However, the petitioner has failed to co-operate with his brother, who is now represented by his legal heirs, who have been impleaded as respondents 3 to 5. It appears that the business carried out in Unit A under the control of petitioner’s brother and later by the newly impleaded respondents, namely, respondents 3 to 5 have been stopped. They have taken steps for cancelling the Goods and Services Tax Registration. Unit B, on the other hand, under the control of the petitioner is still carrying on business. The revenue cannot be denied of the tax that is payable for the supplies effected by the petitioner from Unit B and therefore, the private respondents, namely, respondents 3 to 5 cannot have a say by stating that the second respondent itself has 2/4 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ ceazed to exist and therefore the petitioner can neither carry on the business nor pay the tax for the supplies already effected. The private dispute between the petitioner and the legal heirs of late G.Gurusamy has to be resolved in the National Company Law Tribunal, which is now seized of the matter. However, as long as there is supply of goods and service from the second respondent from Unit B, there cannot be any embargo from payment of tax. The private respondents also cannot strangulate the business of Unit B under control of the petitioner. 4.At the same time, I am inclined to allow the this Miscellaneous Petition as prayed for. Meanwhile, the petitioner is directed to take steps for revive registration which has been cancelled on account of the failure of the second respondent to file the returns. Assistant Registrar (CS-III) //// / /2022 Sub Assistant Registrar(CS) TO The Assistant Commissioner (ST) Commercial Tax, Gandhiji Road, SIDCO Compound, Theni-2. Copy to: 1.The Section Officer, Writ Section, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 2.The Section Officer, ER Section, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. + 1 CC to M/s.King and Partridge, Advocate, SR.No.13770 + 1 CC to Spl. Govt. Pleader, SR.No.13449 3/4 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ ORDER DATED : 21/03/2022 ========================== ORDER ========================== WMP(MD)No.3423 of 2022 in WP(MD)No.22874 of 2021 Giving direction and etc. as stated within.

KB(31.03.2022) 4P 6C 4/4 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

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