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TMI Blog2024 (12) TMI 827X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ted 30.09.2023 was issued in GST DRC-07. To the said Summary of the Order uploaded in GST DRC-07, there was an attachment stating the manner in which the determination was made. The reason assigned for passing of the said order was that the taxpayer had not replied or contested the notice, and as such, had been agreed with the terms of the notice. It is relevant to mention that the attachments to both the GST DRC-01 as well as the GST DRC-07 did not contain any signature of the Proper Officer. It is the grievance of the petitioner that the petitioner was not provided with the opportunity of hearing as provided under Section 75 (4) of the CGST/AGST Act, 2017 before passing of the order dated 30.12.2023 and being aggrieved, the writ petition has been filed. 3] Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that it is the requirement in terms of Rule 142 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (for short, 'the Rules of 2017') that the notice under Section 73 has to be issued and a summary thereof is to be additionally issued electronically in Form GST DRC-01. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that under no circumstances the attachment to the GST DRC-01 can ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... at the respondent authorities have issued the Summary of the Show Cause Notice in Form DRC-01 which was accompanied by the determination of tax which as per the respondents would have provided all the details so that the petitioners could have submitted the reply. The learned counsel, however, fairly submits that there is no separate Show Cause Notice apart from the determination of tax enclosed to the Summary of the Show Cause Notice. On the question of lack of signatures in the attachments to the GST DRC-01 as well as the GST DRC-07, the learned counsel fairly submitted that the materials on record do not show that there is/are any signature(s) in the attachment to the Summary to the Show Cause Notice as well as Summary to the Order issued in Forms GST DRC-01 and GST DRC-07 respectively. He however submitted that in the attachments it is mentioned as 'Sd- Proper Officer'. The learned counsel further submitted that when the Summary of the Show Cause Notice as well as the Summary of the Order are uploaded in GST DRC-01 and GST DRC-07, the same are duly authenticated in the portal with digital signatures and without such authentication, the portal cannot be operated. 5] I have hear ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tion of the representations, if any, the Proper Officer shall pass the order under Section 73 (9) determining the amount of tax, interest and penalty. 10] It is also apposite to mention that Section 73 (2) and Section 73 (10) are interconnected in as much as Section 73 (10) stipulates that within three years from the due date for furnishing the annual return for the financial year, the order under Section 73 (9) can be passed. In terms with Section 73 (2), the Show Cause Notice is to be issued within three months prior to the time limit prescribed in Section 73 (10). 11] In addition to the above, it would also show from conjoint reading of Subsection (1) (2) (3) and (4) of Section 73 that the legislature had categorically distinguished the Show Cause Notice from the Statement which is required to be issued by the Proper Officer or in other words, irrespective of Statement to be issued in terms with Sub-section (3) of Section 73, there is a requirement of issuance of a Show Cause Notice by the Proper Officer. 12] At this stage, it is also pertinent to mention that in Section 73, there is no mention of issuance of a Summary of Show Cause Notice. The requirement of issuance of a Su ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... mstances, this Court is of the opinion that the impugned order challenged in the instant writ petition is contrary to the provisions of Section 73 as well as Rule 142 (1) (a) of the Rules as the said impugned Orders were passed with issuance of a proper Show Cause Notice. 16] Whether the determination of tax as well as the order attached to the Summary to the Show Cause Notice in GST DRC-01 and the Summary of the Order in GST DRC-07 can be said to be the Show Cause Notice and order respectively, this Court duly dealt with what would constitute a Show Cause Notice, the Statement as per Section 73 (3) as well as the Summary to the Show Cause Notice in GST DRC-01 and Summary of the Statement in GST DRC-02. This Court had also opined above that the statement to be provided by the Proper Officer in terms with Section 73 (3) cannot be said to be a Show Cause Notice which is required to be issued in terms with Section 73 (1). Therefore, the submission of the respondents that the statement attached to the Summary of the Show Cause Notice is the Show Cause Notice is completely misconceived and contrary to Section 73 (1) and 73 (3). 17] Be that as it may, a very pertinent contention had be ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... se of Railsyls Engineers Private Limited vs. Additional Commissioner of Central goods and Services Tax (Appeals-11) and Anr., reported in (2023) 112 GSTR 143, the Delhi High Court held that there was a requirement of at least putting the digital signatures on the Show Cause Notice and Order in Original. 21] A perusal of the provisions of Section 73 would show that the Show Cause Notice is required to be issued by the Proper Officer, the Statement under Section 73 (3) is to be issued by the Proper Officer as well as the Order under Section 73 (9) is required to be passed by the Proper Officer. Section 2 (91) of the Act defines who is the Proper Officer meaning thereby either the Commissioner or the Officer who had been specifically entrusted by the Commissioner. As it is the statutory mandate that it is only the Proper Officer who has the authority to issue Show Cause Notice and the Statement and pass the order, the authentication in the Show Cause Notice, Statement as well as the Order by the Proper Officer is a must and failure to do so, makes the Show Cause Notice, Statement and Order ineffective and redundant. 22] It is also important to note that the Act only stipulates that ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n shows that details have been given as regards the date by which the reply has to be submitted; date of personal hearing; time of personal hearing and venue of personal hearing. It is seen that in the Summary of the Show Cause Notice only the date for submission of reply has been mentioned. In respect to other details as stated above have been mentioned to as 'NA'. It may be that the Proper Officer assumed that based on the reply he/she may proceed with the adjudication depending as to whether the person to whom the notice is issued had opted for personal hearing or not. But in a case where no reply is filed, a question arises whether the Proper Officer can pass an adverse order without providing an opportunity for hearing. The answer has to be in the negative else it would render the second part of Section 75 (4) redundant. 27] On the basis of the above analysis and determination, this Court is of the view that the Summary of the Show Cause Notice in GST DRC-01 is not a substitute to the Show Cause Notice to be issued in terms with Section 73 (1) of the Central Act as well as the State Act. Irrespective of issuance of the Summary of the Show Cause Notice, the Proper Officer has ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... is on account of certain technicalities and the manner in which the impugned order was passed, this Court interfered with the impugned order and hence set aside and quashed the same. It is also relevant to take note of that the respondent authorities were under the impression that issuance of attachment of the determination of tax which was attached to the Summary of the Show Cause Notice would constitute a valid Show Cause Notice. 29] Under such circumstances, in the interest of justice, this Court while setting aside the impugned Order-in-Original dated 30.12.2023, grants liberty to the respondent authorities to initiate de novo proceedings under Section 73, if deemed fit for the relevant financial year in question. This Court further observes and directs that the period from the date of issuance the Summary of the Show Cause Notice in Form GST DRC-01 dated 30.09.2023 Cause Notices upon the petitioner till the date a certified copy of the instant judgment is served upon the Proper Officer, be excluded while computing the period prescribed for passing of the order under Section 73 (10) of the Central Act as well as the State Act as the case may be. 30] With the above observation ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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