Analyzing the Implications of Delay in Tax Adjudication: A Case Study

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..... -compliance with service tax obligations. The core issue at stake was the considerable delay in adjudicating the show cause notice, spanning over a decade, and whether such a delay was permissible under the existing legal framework. Facts of the Case * Background: The petitioner, a private company engaged in construction activities, entered into a contract for constructing residential complex .....

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..... ispute. Legal Issues * Reasonableness of Delay: Whether the inordinate delay in adjudicating the show cause notice was reasonable and justified under the legal provisions, particularly under Section 73 of the Finance Act 1994. * Legal Obligation for Timely Adjudication: The Court examined whether there exists a legal obligation to adjudicate within a specific timeframe and the consequence .....

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..... and contravened the principles of fairness, non-arbitrariness, and the expectation of timely justice. * Precedents and Principles of Law: The Court referred to several precedents, emphasizing that proceedings should conclude within a reasonable period. Delays, particularly those spanning over a decade, were deemed arbitrary and against the essence of efficient legal adjudication. * Final R .....

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