IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR
SANDEEP MEHTA, VINOD KUMAR BHARWANI, JJ.
M/s Ultra Tech Nathdwara Cement Limited (formerly known as M/s. Binani Cement Limited) – Appellant
Versus
The Commercial Taxes Officer, Anti-Evasion, Circle-II, Jaipur - Respondent
D.B. Civil Revision Petition No. 211 of 2014, D.B. Sales Tax Ref./rev. No. 12 to 15 of 2018
Decided on : 07-05-2022
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2013 - Section 31 – Rajasthan Value added tax Act,2003 - Section 82,83 – Approval of resolution plan – Appeal to appellate authority – Appeal to tax board - Held, Apparently, as per this order, all demands of Department against sick unit as they existed prior to date of transfer of original unit to petitioner, were disposed of in accordance with Resolution Plan - Pre-deposits, of which refund is sought by petitioner, had been made by way of mandatory statutory obligation while filing appeals before Tax Board as part of tax liability of M/s. Binani Cement - However, as all demands raised by Department for date prior to taking over of sick unit under Resolution Plan have been disposed of, appeals pending before Tax Board became infructuous as liability of successful Resolution Applicant, i.e. petitioner herein, qua Commercial Taxes Department stood extinguished beyond what has been quantified by Tribunal - Revisions/Sales Tax References allowed.
JUDGMENT :
MEHTA, J.
1. The instant batch of Revisions/Sales Tax References involve common questions of facts and law and hence, the same have been heard and are being decided together by this judgment.
2. The revisions were originally preferred by the company M/s. Binani Cement Limited which went into liquidation. Insolvency proceedings were initiated by the creditors of the sick undertaking (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Corporate Debtor). The insolvency proceedings were transferred from the NCLT, Kolkata to NCLAT under directions of Hon’ble the Supreme Court which invited claims from financial, statutory and operational creditors of the Corporate Debtor. Resolution plans were also invited from parties interested in revival of sick undertakings. The respondent Commercial Taxes Department submitted its claim before the NCLAT. The resolution plan submitted by M/s.UltraTech Cement Limited was approved by the NCLAT on 14.11.2018 and it was declared to be the Successful Resolution Applicant. Hon’ble the Supreme Court approved the decision of NCLAT vide order dated 19.11.2018.
3. In terms of Section 31 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2013, the resolution plan, approved by the NCLAT, is binding on all stakeholders including the Operational Creditors, Financial Creditors and the Statutory Creditors, including the respondent Corporate Taxes Department and all claims and dues towards the pending demands, except those approved by the NCLAT, of these creditors stand discharged on the date of transfer of the Corporate Debtor unit to the Successful Resolution Applicant which, in the present case, is 20.11.2018. As a consequence, all liabilities of the Corporate Debtor, which do not form a part of the resolution plan as well as those which are settled by the NCLAT, were extinguished as on the date of approval of the resolution plan and resultantly, the pending demands raised against the Corporate Debtor would be rendered infructuous. The pre-deposits made by way of mandatory statutory obligation alongwith the appeals, if any, filed under the tax regime and other amounts deposited under protest would become refundable with interest. These revisions are being considered in this backdrop.
4. Brief summary of the transactions from which demands raised by the department flow and which were the subject matter of the appeals and the amounts deposited by the corporate debtor are narrated below for the sake of ready reference:
(1) D.B. Civil Revision Petition No. 211/2014
5. An order dated 01.08.2012 was passed by the Commercial Tax Officer, Anti Evasion, Rajasthan, Circle-II whereby, the Input Tax Credit allowed by the assessing authority for the period from 01.04.2006 to 31.03.2007, was disallowed. Output Tax on High Speed Diesel purchased against full payment of VAT within the State, was imposed along with penalty and interest thereupon. In this manner, total demand of Rs.4,33,93,123/-was raised against the Corporate Debtor. The demand notice was assailed by filing appeal under Section 82 of the RVAT Act, 2003 and thereafter before the learned Tax Board, Ajmer under Section 83 of the RVAT Act, 2003 which were dismissed by the learned Tax Board vide order dated 26.06.2014. The Corporate Debtor deposited the following amounts "under protest" against the demand raised by the Commercial Taxes Department and towards statutory pre-deposits:
| S.No. | Amount | Deposited On | Deposited By |
| 1. | Rs.11,72,800 | 12.09.2012 | Challan No. 01705109348112092012 |
| 2. | Rs.2,44,324 | 26.10.2012 | VAT Receipt No.0040 |
| Total | Rs.14,17,124 |
|
|
6. An order dated 09.09.2013 was passed by the Commercial Tax Officer, Anti Evasion, Rajasthan, Circle-II whereby, the Input Tax Credit allowed by the assessing authority for the period from 01.04.2008 to 31.03.2009, was disallowed. Output Tax on High Speed Diesel purchased against full payment o
The approval of a resolution plan under the IBC extinguishes all claims not included in the plan, including tax liabilities.
The approval of a resolution plan under the IBC extinguishes all claims not included in the plan, including tax liabilities, ensuring a fresh start for the corporate debtor.
Once a resolution plan is approved under the IBC, the claims provided in the plan are binding and any claims not included in the plan are extinguished.
The main legal principle established in the judgment is the binding effect of the resolution plan approved by the NCLT on stakeholders, as well as the extinguishment of claims not part of the approve....
Approved resolution plans under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code extinguish all pre-CIRP claims not included, including statutory dues from tax authorities.
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.