Section 51 - Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded - MODEL GST LAW - GOODS AND SERVICES TAX ACT, 2016 - Draft June 2016

CHAPTER XIV DEMANDS AND RECOVERY 51. Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded A. Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized for any reason other than fraud or any willful-misstatement or suppression of facts (1) Where any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded, or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilized for any reason, other than the reason of fraud or any willful-misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, the proper officer shall serve notice on the person chargeable with tax which has not been so paid or which has been so short paid or to whom the refund has erroneously been made, or who has wrongly availed or utilized input tax credit, requiring him to show cause why he should not pay the amount specified in the notice along with interest payable thereon under section 36 and penalty leviable under the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder. (2) Where a notice has been issued for any period under sub-section (1), the proper officer may serve a statement, containing the details of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized for such periods other than those covered under subsection(1), on the person chargeable with tax. The service of such statement shall be deemed to be service of notice on such person under the aforesaid sub-section (1), subject to the condition that the grounds relied upon for such tax periods other than those covered under sub-section (1) are the same as are mentioned in the earlier notice. (3) The person chargeable with tax may, before service of notice under sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (2), pay the amount of tax along with interest payable thereon under section 36 on the basis of his own ascertainment of such tax or the tax as ascertained by the proper officer and inform the proper officer in writing of such payment. The proper officer, on receipt of such information, shall not serve any notice under sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (2), in respect of the tax so paid or any penalty leviable under the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under. (4) Where the proper officer is of the opinion that the amount paid under sub-section (3) falls short of the amount actually payable, he shall proceed to issue the notice as provided for in sub-section (1) in respect of such amount which falls short of the amount actually payable. (5) Where any person chargeable with tax under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (2) pays the said tax along with interest payable under section 36 within thirty days of issue of show cause notice, no penalty shall be payable and all proceedings in respect of the said tax shall be deemed to be concluded. (6) The proper officer shall, after considering the representation, if any, made by person chargeable with tax, determine the amount of tax, interest and a penalty not exceeding ten percent of tax or ten thousand rupees, whichever is higher, due from such person and issue an order. (7) The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (6) within three years from the due date or the actual date, whichever is earlier, for filing of annual return for the year to which the tax not paid or short paid or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized relates or, as the case may be, within three years from the date of erroneous refund. B. Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized by reason of fraud or any willful-misstatement or suppression of facts (1) Where any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilized by reason of fraud, or any will-fulmisstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, the proper officer shall serve notice on the person chargeable with tax which has not been so paid or which has been so short paid or to whom the refund has erroneously been made, or who has wrongly availed or utilized input tax credit requiring him to show cause why he should not pay the amount specified in the notice along with interest payable thereon under section 36 and a penalty equivalent to the tax specified in the notice. (2) Where a notice has been issued for any period under sub-section (1), the proper officer may serve a statement, containing the details of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized for such periods other than those covered under sub-section (1), on the person chargeable with tax. The service of such statement shall be deemed to be service of notice on such person under the aforesaid sub-section (1), subject to the condition that the grounds relied upon for such periods other than those covered under sub-section(1) are the same as are mentioned in the earlier notice. (3) The person chargeable with tax may, before service of notice under sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (2), pay the amount of tax along with interest payable under section 36 and a penalty equivalent to fifteen per cent of such tax on the basis of his own ascertainment of such tax or the tax as ascertained by the proper officer and inform the proper officer in writing of such payment. The proper officer, on receipt of such information, shall not serve any notice under subsection (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (2), in respect of the tax so paid or any penalty leviable under the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under. (4) Where the proper officer is of the opinion that the amount paid under sub-section (3) falls short of the amount actually payable, he shall proceed to issue the notice as provided for in sub-section (1) in respect of such amount which falls short of the amount actually payable. (5) Where any person chargeable with tax under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (2) pays the said tax along with interest payable under section 36 and a penalty equivalent to twenty five per cent of such tax within thirty days of communication of the notice, all proceedings in respect of the said tax shall be deemed to be concluded. (6) The proper officer shall, after considering the representation, if any, made by the person chargeable with tax, determine the amount of tax, interest and penalty due from such person and issue an order. (7) The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (6) within a period of five years from the due date or the actual date, whichever is earlier, for filing of annual return for the year to which the tax not paid or short paid or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized relates or, as the case may be, within five years from the date of erroneous refund. (8) Where any person served with an order issued under sub-section (6) pays the tax along with interest payable thereon under section 36 and a penalty equivalent to fifty percent of such tax within thirty days of the communication of order, all proceedings in respect of the said tax shall be deemed to be concluded. C. General provisions relating to demand of tax (1) Where the service of notice or issuance of order is stayed by an order of a Court or Tribunal, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the period of three years or five years, as the case may be. (2) Where any Appellate Authority or Tribunal or Court concludes that the notice issued under sub-section B (1) or B (2) is not sustainable for the reason that the charges of fraud or any wilful mis-statement or suppression of facts to evade tax has not been established against the person to whom the notice was issued, the proper officer shall determine the tax payable by such person for the period of three years, deeming as if the notice were issued under sub-section A (1) or A (2). (3) An opportunity of personal hearing shall be granted where a request is received in writing from the person chargeable with tax or penalty, or where any adverse decision is contemplated against such person. (4) The proper officer shall, if sufficient cause is shown by the person chargeable with tax, grant time, from time to time, to the said person and adjourn the hearing for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a person during the proceeding. (5) The proper officer, in his order, shall set out the relevant facts and the basis of his decision. (6) The amount of tax, interest and penalty demanded in the order shall not be in excess of the amount specified in the notice and no demand shall be confirmed on grounds other than the grounds specified in the notice. (7) Where the Appellate Authority or Tribunal or Court modifies the amount of tax determined by the proper officer, the amount of interest and penalty shall stand modified accordingly, taking into account the amount of tax so modified. (8) Interest on the tax short paid or not paid shall be payable whether or not specified in the order determining the tax liability. (9) The adjudication proceedings shall be deemed to be concluded if the order is not issued within three years as provided for in sub-section A (7) or within five years as provided for in sub-section B (7). (10) An issue on which the First Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court has given its decision which is prejudicial to the interest of revenue in some other proceedings and an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court or the Supreme Court against such decision of the First Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or as the case may be, the High Court is pending, the period spent between the date of the decision of the First Appellate Authority and the date of decision of the Appellate Tribunal or the date of decision of the Appellate Tribunal and the date of the decision of the High Court or as the case may be, the date of the decision of the High Court and the date of the decision of the Supreme Court shall be excluded in computing the period referred to in sub-section A (7) or sub-section B (7), as the case may be, where proceedings are initiated by way of issue of a show cause notice under this section. D (1) The provisions of sub-section A, B, C above shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the recovery of interest where interest payable has not been paid or part paid or erroneously refunded.