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2025 Supreme(KER) 923

PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K. JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 12 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.355/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE) :
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(APPELLANT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S. HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED WILLINGTON ISLAND, COCHIN, NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444(OLD NO.VI/245A)
KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O, THRISSUR., PIN - 680013 BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev.NOS.15/2022, 22/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 15 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.356/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(APPELLANT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD, WILLINGTON ISLAND, COCHIN NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444,(OLD NO.VI/245A), KUNNATHU PEEDIKA,KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O, THRISSUR., PIN - 680013 BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev. NO.12/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE  
PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 22 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.361/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(APPELLANT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM.
BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(RESPONDENT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD.
WILLINGDON ISLAND, COCHIN NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444 (OLD NO.VI/245A)
KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O, THRISSUR BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev.NO.12/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE   PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 23 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.358/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(APPELLANT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE):
M/S HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD.
WILLINGTON ISLAND, COCHIN NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444, (OLD NO.VI/245A) KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O, THRISSUR., PIN - 680013 BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev.NO.12/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE   PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 24 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.359/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682011 BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT- (APPELLANT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD.
WILLINGTON ISLAND, COCHIN NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444 (OLD NO.VI/245A), KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O, THRISSUR, PIN - 680013 BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev.NO.12/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE   PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 25 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.360/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER- (RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(APPELLANT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S. HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD.
WILLINGDON ISLAND, COCHIN , NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444 (OLD NO.VI/245A), KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD,KUTTUR P.O., THRISSUR.
BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR TELMA RAJU EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
17.02.2025, ALONG WITH OT.Rev.NO.12/2022 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE   PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE A.K.JAYASANKARAN NAMBIAR &
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE EASWARAN S.
MONDAY, THE
17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 28TH MAGHA, 1946 OT.REV NO. 26 OF 2022 AGAINST THE ORDER OF THE KERALA VALUE ADDED TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, ADDITIONAL BENCH, ERNAKULAM IN T.A.(VAT) NO.357/2019 DATED 7.3.2020 REVISION PETITIONER-(APPELLANT/RESPONDENT/REVENUE):
THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF STATE TAX (LAW), DEPARTMENT OF KERALA STATE GOODS AND SERVICE TAX, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682011 BY ADV SMT.RESMITHA RAMACHANDRAN, GOVERNMENT PLEADER RESPONDENT-(RESPONDENT/APPELLANT/ASSESSEE) :
M/S. HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD.
WILLINGDON ISLAND, COCHIN NOW AT 2/440 TO 2/444, (OLD NO.VI/245A) KUNNATHU PEEDIKA, KOTTEKAD, KUTTUR P.O., THRISSUR, PIN - 680013 BY ADVS.
ANIL D. NAIR EDATHARA VINEETA KRISHNAN ARAVIND SREEKUMAR
Date 17.02.2025

The court reaffirmed the principle of binding precedents, ruling that prior decisions must be followed in similar cases, favoring the assessee.

Headnote:(A) Income Tax Act - Assessment year 2005-2006 - The court addressed the issue of assessment and penalty orders against the same assessee as previously considered in Modern Food Industries Ltd. V. State of Kerala [2018 SCC OnLine Ker 17283]. (Paras 1-3)

(B) Judicial Precedent - The principle of following binding precedents was reaffirmed, emphasizing that the questions of law raised must be resolved in favor of the assessee based on prior rulings. (Paras 2-3)

Facts of the case:
The State filed O.T. Revisions against the order of assessment and penalty for the assessment year 2005-2006, which had already been adjudicated in a prior case involving the same assessee.

Findings of Court:
The court dismissed the O.T. Revisions, holding that the questions of law must be answered against the revenue and in favor of the assessee, following the earlier Division Bench ruling.

Issues: The main issue was whether the State could challenge the assessment and penalty orders in light of the existing precedent.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the earlier decision in Modern Food Industries Ltd. is binding and must be followed, leading to the dismissal of the State's revisions.

Result: O.T. Revisions dismissed.

JUDGMENT :

A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar, J.

1. The issue involved in these O.T. Revisions filed by the State has already been considered by a Division Bench of this Court in Modern Food Industries Ltd. V. State of Kerala [2018 SCC OnLine Ker 17283] (O.T.Revision Nos.184 & 193 of 2015) for the assessment year 2005-2006 in relation to the same assessee.

2. The learned Government Pleader would submit that against the order aforementioned, the State has already preferred Civil Appeal Nos.3992 and 3993 of 2024 before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and the same is pending. One of the appeals is against the order of assessment, and the other is against the order of penalty, both pertaining to the assessment year 2005-06. It is stated, however, that the Supreme Court has not stayed the operation of the order of this court in the Civil Appeals.

3. Taking note of the above facts we dismiss these O.T.Revisions preferred by the State by holding that in view of the order of the Division Bench in Modern Food Industries Ltd. V. State of Kerala [2018 SCC OnLine Ker 17283] pertaining to the same assessee for a different assessment year, the questions of law raised in these O.T.Revisions have to be answered against the revenue and in favour of the assessee.

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