Goods and Services Tax

Forum shopping in bail proceedings led to fresh merits consideration after parallel remedies and adverse orders were withheld.
Case-Laws
GST
Forum shopping and suppression of material facts undermine the good faith required for discretionary bail jurisdiction. Pursuing parallel bail or release remedies while withholding rejection orders and refusal of interim release constitutes abuse of process. Urgent vacation listing of a pending bail petition, without a returnable date, Vacation Bench direction, or adequate notice to the opposing party, improperly seeks to steal a march and mislead the Court. The bail petition was revived for fresh consideration on merits, while the existing bail continued as interim bail pending further orders.
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Condonation of delay in GST appeals restored merits review after illness and death disrupted the firm's affairs.
Case-Laws
GST
Serious illness and death of a proprietor's spouse, disrupting the firm's affairs, justified condonation of delay in statutory GST appeals. The High Court set aside appellate orders rejecting the appeals as time-barred and remitted them for determination on merits, based on the parties' concession and subject to payment of costs. Failure to pay costs forfeited the benefit of restoration, while all merits remained open before the appellate authority.
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Input tax credit limitation and effective notice requirements require quashing barred credit denial and remanding remaining GST issues.
Case-Laws
GST
Input tax credit denied as time-barred under section 16(4) of the CGST Act was quashed because the issue was covered by a common order that had quashed the departmental determination. On the remaining adjudication issues, portal uploads of notices and reminders, without any response, did not provide an effective opportunity of hearing where statutory alternative service modes were available. The balance of the adjudication was set aside and remanded for fresh consideration, conditional on agreed pre-deposit, reply filing and effective notice of personal hearing.
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Effective GST notice service requires meaningful delivery, with defective portal-only notice leading to fresh adjudication after hearing.
Case-Laws
GST
Effective service of GST notices requires more than uploading statutory notices and hearing intimations under an additional-notices portal tab when the taxpayer receives no physical service through RPAD. SMS and email reminders do not cure the resulting lack of a meaningful opportunity to file explanations and supporting records, which breaches principles of natural justice. GST adjudication and the consequential Form GST DRC-07 may therefore be set aside for fresh consideration, subject to a 10% deposit of disputed tax. The taxpayer must be allowed to submit objections and documents, followed by a clear 14-day personal-hearing notice and a merits-based order.
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IGST refunds for exports under manual shipping bills fall within Customs processing jurisdiction, requiring consideration under Rule 96(3).
Case-Laws
GST
Rule 96(3) assigns processing of IGST refunds on exported goods, including goods covered by manual shipping bills, to the Customs system or the proper Customs officer after receipt of information on a valid Form GSTR-3B return. Where the GST Department disclaims jurisdiction to sanction the refund, Customs cannot reject the claim by asserting that it falls within the GST Department's jurisdiction. Customs must process the claim and sanction any admissible IGST refund with applicable interest in accordance with law.
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Excess output tax set-off can negate a tax shortfall, while vague notices and portal-based rejections breach natural justice.
Case-Laws
GST
Excess output tax paid beyond monthly liability may be set off against ineligible input tax credit where no overall tax short payment arises, avoiding an unnecessary payment-and-refund cycle. Refund of such excess output tax falls within the stated statutory exception and is not subject to unjust-enrichment scrutiny. Sales-return claims supported by valid credit and debit notes cannot be rejected solely for non-uploading on the GST portal where no mandatory upload requirement applied. Reasoned appellate orders must address material submissions, and demands cannot rest on grounds beyond the show cause notice. Interest for delayed return filing requires a notice identifying the relevant defaults, tax base and computation.
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IGST Credit Set-Off: Aggregate reconciliation can eliminate alleged CGST and SGST input tax credit excesses.
Case-Laws
GST
GST input tax credit may be assessed through aggregate reconciliation of IGST, CGST and SGST credits, including IGST paid on imports. Surplus IGST credit remaining after discharge of IGST liability can be used towards CGST and SGST liabilities, so an apparent CGST or SGST credit shortfall may not establish excess credit availment or tax short payment. GST adjudication must also afford a personal hearing, address taxpayer contentions and evidence, and give reasoned findings; orders issued without these safeguards risk breach of natural justice and non-application of mind.
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Fraud threshold for extended tax limitation curbs unsupported penalties, while consolidated notices across financial years remain permissible.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 74 requires foundational facts of fraud, wilful misstatement, or deliberate suppression with intent to evade tax; mechanical allegations cannot support extended limitation or penalty. Where credit entries were disclosed in statutory returns, the Section 74 demand and penalty were set aside, with any tax payable to be determined under the Section 73 framework through Section 75(2). A consolidated show cause notice spanning multiple financial years is permissible where the full demand is within limitation and no appellate prejudice results. Input tax credit discrepancies require factual verification and an opportunity to provide supporting evidence, requiring fresh adjudication. Interest follows tax ultimately determined payable and must be recomputed.
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Show-cause notice limits prevent input tax credit disallowance on an unalleged supplier tax-payment ground during adjudication.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 75(7) prevents confirmation of an input tax credit demand on a ground not set out in the show-cause notice. Where the notice alleged ineligibility only under section 16(2)(aa), which was inapplicable to the relevant period, adjudication could not instead rely on the separate condition under section 16(2)(c) that suppliers must pay tax to the Government. Mere reproduction of section 16(2)(c), without allegations or supporting facts identifying its breach, does not provide adequate notice. A provision protecting proceedings from formal defects cannot cure this substantive defect in the notice and adjudication process.
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GST refunds for cancelled air tickets remain available when passenger reimbursements defeat unjust enrichment and credit-note adjustment is unavailable.
Case-Laws
GST
GST refunds on cancelled air tickets may be available where ticket, passenger, invoice, refund voucher, credit note and BSP records establish that the airline refunded both fare and tax and retained no amount. On those facts, unjust enrichment does not bar the refund. Where credit notes cannot be adjusted because no output tax liability remains after cancellations, refund may be claimed in FORM GST RFD-01 as excess payment of tax. For B2C passenger-ticket transactions, input tax credit reversal is not applicable where no recipient credit is involved; a later proviso requiring reversal of credit attributable to credit notes does not apply to earlier periods. Refund claims should consequently be processed with applicable interest.
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GST short-payment interest and penalty apply when tax and interest remain unpaid within the show-cause notice period.
Case-Laws
GST
Delayed payment of a GST shortfall attracts statutory interest. Payment of tax after the prescribed period does not remove that liability. Where tax and interest remain unpaid within 30 days of a show-cause notice, the statutory penalty for short-payment demands applies. The discretionary penalty principle concerning failure to register as a dealer is distinguishable; interest and penalty were sustained.
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Input tax credit verification governs GSTR-2A mismatches, while unutilised reversals and sales-return credit notes avoid additional tax consequences.
Case-Laws
GST
Input tax credit claimed in Form GSTR-3B is not denied merely because it is absent from Form GSTR-2A, which operated as a facilitative mechanism during the relevant period; the claimant must nevertheless prove statutory credit conditions, including supplier tax payment. Section 35(6) applies only to goods not accounted for, so verified reconciliation of e-way bills with invoices and ledger entries prevents a demand based on deemed outward supplies. Interest on wrongly availed credit arises only on utilisation, determined where the electronic credit ledger balance falls below that credit; pre-notice tax payment without interest bars notice and penalty. Sales-return credit notes can reduce taxable value and output tax liability subject to statutory conditions, and non-reporting in Form GSTR-1 is a compliance lapse rather than an independent tax liability.
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GST refund limitation exclusions preserve unregistered purchasers' claims after cancelled flat bookings, with no unjust-enrichment bar.
Case-Laws
GST
GST refund limitation for an unregistered flat purchaser following cancellation of a construction-linked booking must exclude the period prescribed in Notification No. 13/2022-Central Tax when computing the two-year period under section 54(1). The refund application was therefore within time. Where the developer deposited GST but refunded only the non-tax consideration, the purchaser may claim refund if the GST incidence was borne by the purchaser and the requirements of Statement 8 and Rule 89(2) are met. As the ultimate consumer, the purchaser is not barred by unjust enrichment. Refund was admissible with applicable interest after sixty days from the refund application.
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GST interest computation requires month-wise ledger verification, while pre-notice voluntary payment protects against penalty for inadvertent turnover reporting omissions.
Case-Laws
GST
GST interest remains payable despite voluntary tax payment before a show cause notice, but must be calculated month by month by identifying the tax liability, due date, actual payment date, and amount payable through the Electronic Cash Ledger under section 50 read with rule 88B. Interest calculated on the entire liability without verification of the electronic cash and credit ledgers requires fresh computation. Where omitted B2C turnover was accounted for, disclosed in the annual return, and fully paid before notice, section 73(5) applies; penalty under section 73(6) is unsustainable. The interest demand was remitted for recomputation and the penalty was set aside.
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Expired e-way bills trigger GST detention penalties without proving tax-evasion intent when no timely extension or evidence supports delay.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 129(1) treats transportation of goods in contravention of GST requirements as sufficient for detention and penalty; proof of an intention to evade tax is not required because the penalty arises from breach of a civil obligation. Expired e-way bills may therefore attract penalty even for interstate stock transfers where a claimed vehicle breakdown lacks supporting evidence and no timely extension or amendment is sought. Invoices or the stock-transfer character of the movement do not replace a valid e-way bill, and exceptions requiring a valid e-way bill do not apply after expiry. Procedural objections concerning hearing, notices, or forms do not alter the position where a full opportunity to provide explanations and evidence is available before the final fact-finding authority.
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Actual transport movement determines goods-detention liability; acknowledged notice service stands, while release payments await fresh adjudication.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 129 liability for detained goods must be determined from the actual transport movement, including the route, destination and timing; a later e-way bill cannot retrospectively cure a contravention, and later invoices alone cannot establish onward movement. Conflicting interception accounts, incomplete carrier records and unavailable primary material require fresh, reasoned adjudication of the diversion defence. Acknowledged receipt of and response to FORM GST MOV-07 bars a later service objection, but does not remove the duty to consider the defence and grant statutory hearing. Payment to secure release does not conclude liability and must be adjusted or refunded following the fresh determination.
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Post-interception transport documents require credible linkage to goods; unsupported transit claims cannot defeat undeclared-goods penalties.
Case-Laws
GST
Post-interception invoices and bilties require reliable corroboration to establish that physically verified undeclared goods were covered by valid transport documents. Delayed documents were insufficient where they could not be linked to the goods, transaction parties did not acknowledge dealings or establish their identity and business credentials, and discrepancies remained unexplained; the penalty for transporting undeclared goods was therefore sustained. A transit-State defence based on asserted movement to an out-of-State destination also requires credible proof of the destination and underlying transactions. Mere passage through the transit State did not invalidate proceedings, and a precedent involving materially different facts was inapplicable.
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E-way bill accuracy in diverted transit sales determines Section 129 penalties despite no independent proof of tax evasion.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 129(1) of the CGST Act imposes civil penalty for substantive contraventions of transit movement-document requirements without requiring independent proof of intent to evade tax. Authorities must nevertheless assess the taxpayer's explanation and distinguish material discrepancies from minor or technical errors. A sale during transit may occur without prior physical receipt by an intermediary, but the continuing movement must be supported by a valid e-way bill accurately stating the actual origin and destination. E-way bills that do not cover the diverted route, falsely identify the dispatch point, or have expired may constitute substantive non-compliance. Payment through DRC-03 to secure release of goods does not conclusively admit liability or waive statutory appeal rights and may be credited against any liability.
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Expired e-way bill transport attracts GST detention penalties without proof of any tax-evasion intent being required.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 129(1) of the GST Act applies where goods in transit are transported or stored contrary to the Act or Rules; proof of intent to evade tax is not a condition for detention or penalty because the provision addresses breach of a civil obligation and does not require mens rea. Transportation under e-way bills that had expired remained non-compliant where the asserted vehicle breakdown lacked supporting evidence and no extension or amendment was sought. Stock-transfer documentation and e-invoices did not cure the e-way bill lapse, while circular-based exceptions applied only to consignments accompanied by valid e-way bills. Penalties were sustained.
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Meaningful hearing in detention penalty proceedings requires reasoned adjudication; payment for release does not waive statutory challenge.
Case-Laws
GST
Penalty adjudication under section 129(3) requires a meaningful hearing under section 129(4) and a reasoned order addressing the taxpayer's explanation and consignment documents. Determining penalty the day after a notice allowed seven days to respond, using FORM GST MOV-09 containing unselected alternatives and drafting placeholders, fails those requirements. Payment through FORM GST DRC-03 to obtain release of detained goods neither cures incomplete adjudication nor waives the statutory challenge. Where FORM GST MOV-07 states an intelligible allegation, fresh adjudication should proceed within the existing notice's scope, with merits of the proposed penalty remaining open.
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Compensation Cess ITC refunds require independent inverted-tax-structure eligibility; domestic leather supplies did not justify cash refunds.
Case-Laws
GST
Accumulated Compensation Cess ITC on coal used to manufacture leather products supplied domestically is refundable only where the statutory conditions for an inverted tax structure refund are independently met. Eligibility to avail the credit, including the absence of a blocked-credit restriction, does not itself establish entitlement to a cash refund. Although Compensation Cess credit is usable only against cess liabilities, its inability to be utilised against other liabilities creates no separate refund right. Clarifications and precedents concerning zero-rated or export supplies do not support domestic-supply refund claims. The order granting refund was set aside and the original refund rejections were restored.
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Request-driven road restoration attracts reverse-charge GST, not governmental-function treatment or compensatory-damages status for business recipients.
Case-Laws
GST
Request-driven road restoration performed by the PWD for a business's pipeline operations is treated as a distinct service, with work-linked charges constituting consideration rather than compensatory damages. Although routine road maintenance serves a governmental function, targeted restoration for a commercial entity is not treated as a governmental-function non-supply or public-utility exempt service. Taxable Government services supplied to registered business entities fall under reverse charge; revenue neutrality or alleged dual tax incidence does not displace that liability without proof of forward-charge payment. Electronic GST notices and orders issued through the authenticated portal remain valid without a physical DIN where the notice identifies the case and no prejudice or natural-justice breach arises.
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Road restoration charges for commercial pipeline works are taxable Government services, with reverse charge liability and no public-function exemption.
Case-Laws
GST
Road restoration charges paid to a Public Works Department for repairing roads excavated for a commercial gas pipeline constitute consideration for a taxable service because the planned arrangement involved reciprocal obligations, not compensation for a wrongful act. Non-supply treatment and public-function exemptions do not apply where restoration is a targeted, fee-based service supplied to facilitate a business activity. The registered recipient remains liable under reverse charge for taxable Government services absent evidence of supplier tax payment; alleged revenue neutrality does not displace that liability. Electronic GST adjudication remains valid without a physical Document Identification Number where portal authentication establishes source and integrity and the notice adequately permits a response. The refund rejection was sustained and the appeal dismissed.
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Introduction of e-Invoicing Facility for Recipient Generated Self Invoices under Reverse Charge Mechanism for Domestic Supplies from Unregistered Persons (RCMDOM) and Import of Services (RCMIMP)
GST
Dated:- 16-10-2026

Dear Taxpayers,

The GST Council, in its 57th meeting has recommended extending e-invoicing to domestic supplies received from an unregistered person where the tax is payable under reverse charge mechanism, as well as to the import of services, for taxpayers having aggregate annual turnover of Rs. 5 crore and above. Accordingly, the e-Invoicing system is being enhanced to facilitate the reporting of recipient generated self-invoices under the Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM). Accordingly, two new supply types, namely RCMDOM (Reverse Charge Mechanism on Domestic) and RCMIMP (Reverse Charge Mechanism on Import of Services), are being introduced to enable reporting of self-invoices for specified domestic supplies received from unregistered persons under RCM and

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levant statutory provisions and notifications to be issued by the government in this regard. The scope, applicability and effective date of the requirement would be governed by the applicable notifications and provisions of GST law.

3. Reporting of Recipient Generated Self-Invoices

Under the existing B2B e-Invoice framework, invoices are ordinarily reported by registered suppliers. The proposed enhancement would extend the facility to eligible and active registered recipients for reporting self-invoices issued in respect of specified RCM transactions. For such transactions, taxpayers would be required to select the appropriate supply type code, RCMDOM or RCMIMP, while reporting the self-invoice through an authorised IRP. Upon successful submission and validation of the prescribed invoice particulars, an Invoice Reference Number (IRN) would be generated in accordance with the applicable e-Invoice specifications.

4. Implementation and Availability in Sandbox

The necessary sys

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ith the technical specifications and release note issued by NIC IRP-1.The functionality is presently available for sandbox testing and integration. The date of production rollout and commencement of the associated reporting requirements would be communicated in due time.

5. Further Guidelines, Webinar and Preparatory Activities

NIC IRP-1 would issue a detailed release note covering the technical specifications, business validations, validation codes and other operational requirements relating to RCMDOM and RCMIMP. Taxpayers and integration partners are advised to refer to the release note for detailed implementation requirements.

GSTN along with IRPs would also organise a webinar to explain the new functionality and address relevant implementation aspects. The details of the webinar would be communicated separately.

Taxpayers, GSPs, ASPs, ERPs and other stakeholders are requested to sensitise their wider ecosystem partners about these changes and undertake the necessary sys

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Deemed withdrawal of GST best-judgment assessments follows delayed GSTR-3B filing when the requisite late fee is paid.
Case-Laws
GST
Section 62(2) of the GST law provides for deemed withdrawal of a best-judgment assessment when the requisite GSTR-3B return is filed. Delayed filing does not prevent that statutory benefit where the applicable late fee is also paid, following the amendment permitting condonation of delay in return filing. Once the assessment is deemed withdrawn, the tax demand and related dues under that assessment cannot be recovered, and recovery proceedings cannot be initiated or continued on its basis.
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