High Court · 2025

WP No. 23620 of 2025IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED: 01-07-2025CORAMTHE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMYWP No. 23620 of 2025ANDWMP NO. 26564 OF 2025,WMP NO. 26556 OF 2025,WMP NO. 26560 OF 2025Greensville Flat Owners Welfare Association,Rep by its Secretary,Sreeram Ramanathan, No.189, Greens Villa Apartment,OMR Sholinganallur, Chennai-600 119.Petitioner(s)Vs1. Deputy State Tax Officer-2Kelambakkam Assessment Circle, No.46, Greenways Road, RA Puram, Chennai-600 028.2.Deputy Commissioner ST, Chengalpattu Zone,No.26, Abirami Complex, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Thimmavaram, Chengalpattu. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 20253.The Branch Manager,ICICI Bank LimitedNo.140, Sholingnallur Branch, Chennai – 600 097.Respondent(s)PRAYER:-Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for an issuance of Writ of Certiorari, to call for the impugned order of the 1st respondent passed in GSTIN 33AAFAG5675H1ZL/2020-21 dated 26.02.2025 and quash the same.For Petitioner(s):Mr.N.MuraliFor Respondent(s):Mr.C.Harsha Raj Spl. Govt. Pleader (taxes) For Rr1 And 2 Mr.Adhivarahan For R3ORDER This writ petition has been filed by the petitioner challenging the impugned assessment order dated 26.02.2025, passed by the 1st respondent relating to the Financial Year 2020-2021. 2.Mr.C.Harsha Raj, learned Special Government Pleader (Taxes), takes notice on behalf of the respondents 1 & 2 and Mr.V.Adhivarahan, learned counsel takes notice on behalf of the 3rd respondent. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025 3.By consent of the parties, the main writ petition is taken up for disposal at the admission stage itself.4.Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that, in the present case, the petitioner have not received any physical copy of the show cause notice and also personal hearing notice. The show cause notice dated 26.11.2024 and three reminders were uploaded in the GST Portal tab and the petitioner had no ocassion to open the GST Portal. Even the impugned order dated 26.02.2025 was also uploaded in the GST Portal, which is violation of principle of natural justice. He would further submit that the petitioner is ready and willing to pay 10% of the disputed tax demand in respect of the impugned assessment period and prayed to set aside the impugned order directing the respondent to permit the petitioner to file their reply and provide an opportunity of personal hearing so that the petitioner would be able to substantiate their case. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025 5.Learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 and 2 would submit that as per the voluntary submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner, subject to the deposit of 10% of the disputed tax demand by the petitioner in respect of the impugned assessment period, if the Court feels it appropriate and it is a fit case for re-consideration, this Court may consider and pass orders.6.Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as well as the learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the repondents 1 and 2 and perused the materials available on record. 7.Considering the above submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 and 2 and upon perusal of the materials, it is evident that the impugned show cause notice was uploaded on the GST Portal Tab. According to the petitioner, the petitioner was not aware of the issuance of the show cause notice issued through the GST Portal and the original of the said show cause https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025notice was not furnished to them. In such circumstances, this Court is of the view that the impugned assessment order came to be passed without affording any opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioner, confirming the proposals contained in the show cause notice. 8.No doubt sending notice by uploading in portal is a sufficient service, but, the Officer who is sending the repeated reminders, inspite of the fact that no response from the petitioner to the show cause notices etc., the Officer should have applied his/her mind and explored the possibility of sending notices by way of other modes prescribed in Section 169 of the GST Act, which are also the valid mode of service under the Act, otherwise it will not be an effective service, rather, it would only fulfilling the empty formalities. Merely passing an ex parte order by fulfilling the empty formalities will not serve any useful purpose and the same will only pave way for multiplicity of litigations, not only wasting the time of the Officer concerned, but also the precious time of the Appellate Authority/Tribunal and this Court as well. Thus, when there is no response from the tax payer to the notice sent through a particular mode, the https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025Officer who is issuing notices should strictly explore the possibilities of sending notices through some other mode as prescribed in Section 169(1) of the Act, preferably by way of RPAD, which would ultimately achieve the object of the GST Act. 9.Therefore, this Court finds that there is a lack of opportunities being provided to the petitioner. Hence, this Court is inclined to set-aside the impugned order with terms, by issuing the following directions:-(i) The order impugned herein is set aside on condition that the petitioner deposits 10% of the disputed tax amount in respect of the impugned assessment period, as agreed by the petitioner, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.(ii) The petitioner shall file their reply/objection along with the required documents, if any, within a period of two weeks thereafter. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025(iii) On filing of such reply/objection by the petitioner, the respondent shall consider the same and issue a 14 days clear notice by fixing the date of personal hearing to the petitioner and thereafter, pass appropriate orders on merits and in accordance with law, after hearing the petitioner, as expeditiously as possible. (iv) Upon production of proof with regard to the payment of 10% of the disputed tax made by the petitioner, the 3rd respondent- Bank is directed to de-freeze the petitioner's bank account forthwith. 10.With the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. There is no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.01-07-2025rstIndex:Yes/NoSpeaking/Non-speaking orderInternet:YesNeutral Citation:Yes/NoNote: Issue Order Copy on 03.07.2025. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025To1.Deputy State Tax Officer-2,Kelambakkam Assessment Circle, No.46, Greenways Road, Ra Puram, Chennai-600 028.2.Deputy Commissioner ST, Chengalpattu Zone,No.26, Abirami Complex, Mahalakshmi Nagar Thimmavaram, Chengalpattu.3.The Branch Manager,ICICI Bank Limited,No.140, Sholingnallur Branch, Chennai. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 23620 of 2025KRISHNAN RAMASAMY J.rstWP No. 23620 of 2025AND WMP NO. 26564 OF 2025,WMP NO. 26556 OF 2025,WMP NO. 26560 OF 202501-07-2025