Henna Medicals …..Appellant
V/s
State Tax Officers, Deputy Commissioner (Arrear Recovery) Office of The Joint Commissioner, State Goods and Service Tax Kannur, Union of India, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, State of Kerala …..Respondent
Hon`ble Justice
Dinesh Kumar Singh, J.
Date : 19/09/2023
Appearance:
Rajesh Nambiar; Sindhu K. Nambiar for the Petitioner.
Reshmita Ramachandran-GP for the Respondent.
Case Remanded
Issues Involved :- Merely on the ground that in Form GSTR-2A the said tax is not reflected should not be a sufficient ground to deny the assessee the claim of the input tax credit. The matter is remitted back to the file of the Assessing Authority/1st respondent to examine the evidence of the petitioner irrespective of the Form GSTR 2A for the petitioner`s claim for the input tax credit. After examination of the evidence placed by the petitioner/assessee, the Assessing Authority shall pass fresh orders in accordance with the law.
Section 16 of the CGST Act, 2017 — Input Tax Credit –- The petitioner challenged the assessment order and recovery notice dated 28.12.2021 and 02.09.2023 respectively. The court observed that the only ground on which the petitioner has been said to have availed the input tax credit is the difference between GSTR 2A and GSTR 3B. The Court relied on judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of The State of Karnataka v. M/s Ecom Gill Coffee Trading Private Limited 2023 as well as Calcutta High Court judgment in Suncraft Energy Private Limited v. The Assistant Commissioner, State Tax, dated 02.08.2023, wherein it was held that the input tax credit of the assessee under the GST regime cannot be denied merely on the difference of GSTR 2A and 3B. Held that:-The Hon’ble High Court allowed the writ petition and remitted the matter back to the file of the Assessing Authority to examine the evidence of the petitioner irrespective of the Form GSTR 2A for the petitioner`s claim for the ITC. After examination of the evidence, the Assessing Authority shall pass fresh orders in accordance with the law.
Case referred/cited :-
1. The State of Karnataka Versus Ecom Gill Coffee Trading Private Limited — [2023]
2. Suncraft Energy Private Limited Versus The Assistant Commissioner, State Tax, Ballygunge Charge — [2023]
3. Diya Agencies Versus The State Tax Officer — [2023] (Kerala) JUDGMENT
The present writ petition has been filed, impugning Ext. P1 assessment order and Ext. P2 recovery notice dated 28.12.2021 and 02.09.2023, respectively. The petitioner claims input tax credit to the extent of Rs. 2,58,116/- with interest and penalty. The total amount comes to approximately Rs. 4,58,156/-.
2. From the perusal of the Assessment Order impugned in the present writ petition, it appears that the only ground on which the petitioner has been said to have availed the input tax credit is the difference between GSTR 2A and GSTR 3B. This Court, after taking note of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of The State of Karnataka v. M/s Ecom Gill Coffee Trading Private Limited 2023 (3) TMI 533 SC, [2023] (SC) as well as Calcutta High Court judgment in Suncraft Energy Private Limited v. The Assistant Commissioner, State Tax, Ballygunge Charge Judgment dated 02.08.2023 (Calcutta) has held that the input tax credit of the assessee under the GST regime cannot be denied merely on the difference of GSTR 2A and 3B.
3. Paragraph 8 of Diya Agencies v. The State Tax Officer Judgment dated 12.09.2023 in WPC 29769/2023 [2023] (Kerala), of this Court would read as under:
“8. In view thereof, I find that the impugned Exhibit P-1 assessment order so far denial of the input tax credit to the petitioner is not sustainable, and the matter is remanded back to the Assessing Officer to give opportunity to the petitioner for his claim for input tax credit. If on examination of the evidence submitted by the petitioner, the assessing officer is satisfied that the claim is bonafide and genuine, the petitioner should be given input tax credit. Merely on the ground that in Form GSTR-2A the said tax is not reflected should not be a sufficient ground to deny the assessee the claim of the input tax credit. The assessing authority is therefore, directed to give an opportunity to the petitioner to give evidence in respect of his claim for input tax credit. The petitioner is directed to appear before the assessing authority within fifteen days with all evidence in his possession to prove his claim for higher claim of input tax credit. After examination of the evidence placed by the petitioner/assessee, the assessing authority will pass a fresh order in accordance with law.”
4. In view thereof, the present writ petition is allowed. The matter is remitted back to the file of the Assessing Authority/1st respondent to examine the evidence of the petitioner irrespective of the Form GSTR 2A for the petitioner`s claim for the input tax credit. After examination of the evidence placed by the petitioner/assessee, the Assessing Authority shall pass fresh orders in accordance with the law. The petitioner is directed to appear before the Assessing Officer on 03.10.2023 at 11.00 a.m. with all the evidence in support of his claim for input tax credit.
