Rivera Enterprises Vs Deputy State Tax Officer (Madras High Court)
Madras High Court held that Input Tax Credit which is barred by limitation in terms of section 16(4) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 is available in case the same is within period prescribed in terms of section 16(5) of the Act.
Facts- The petitioners in these Writ Petitions are registered dealers on the files of the respondent-Department under the provisions of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017/CGST Act 2017. Though the petitioners have filed GSTR-1 returns in time, however, insofar as claim of ITC is concerned, since the petitioners were faced with certain difficulties, such as Financial constraints (as there was complete lockdown due to outbreak Covid-19) health related ailments, fire accidents, they were unable to file GSTR-3B returns, which resulted them in not being able to claim ITC in time before the prescribed date.
Whereas, the respondent-Department, without considering such vital aspects and that reasons for the delay is not deliberate, issued the show cause notices to the petitioners, proposing to reverse the ITC availed and went to the extreme level of confirming the proposals contained in the show cause notices by passing the impugned orders, whereby, the claim made by the petitioners for ITC was reversed and the petitioners have been directed to tax/penalty/interest. Aggrieved against the impugned orders, the petitioners are before this Court by way of present Writ Petitions seeking for setting aside the impugned orders.
