Court ruled that registered dealers entitled to Input Tax Credit despite delays in filing due to valid reasons, following amendments to GST law retroactively extending deadlines for claims.

ORDER :

Krishnan Ramasamy, J.

These Writ petitions have been filed by the petitioner/taxpayer, who is registered dealer on the files of the respondent-Department under the provisions of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 (GST Act)/ Central GOODS AND SERVICES TAX ACT ( CGST Act) as the case may be, challenging the orders passed by the respondent-Department, whereby, their claim of ITC was reversed/negatived and consequently, the petitioners have been directed to pay tax/penalty/interest.

2. When these Writ Petitions are taken up for hearing, the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the respondent, would submit that the issue involved in the present Writ Petition, has been squarely covered by the common order of this Court, dated 17.10.2024 passed in W.P.Nos.25081 of 2023, etc., batch, wherein, this Court has categorically held in paragraphs 9 to 12 as under:

“9. The petitioners in all 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 lock down due to outbreak Covid-19) health related ailments, fire accidents, they were unable to file GSTR-3B returns, which prompted them not raising their 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.

10. After the filing of these Writ Petitions, certain development took place, i.e. that 53^rd GST Council Meeting was held on 22.06.2024, and during the said Meeting, the GST Council recommended for extension of the deadline for availing ITC on any invoice or debit note under Section 16(4) of the CGST Act and this extension would be applicable to any GSTR-3B returns filed for the Fys 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 with a new deadline deemed to be as ''30.11.2021'', to which, the Presidential Assent was also obtained by the Government of India on 16.08.2024, whereby, the financial proposals of the Central Government for the Financial Year 2024-25 was given effect to vide Finance Act, (No.2) of 2024, and in view of the aforesaid enactment, the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, issued a Notification, bearing No.17 of 2024-Central Tax, dated 27.09.2024, pursuant to which, a Circular No.237/31/2024-GST was issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, which was addressed to all the Principal Chief Commissioners /Chief Commissioners/Principal Commissioners/Commissioners of Central Tax (All), thereby, clarifying the issues regarding implementation of provision of sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) in Section 16 of CGST Act, 2017, the impugned orders are no longer sustainable and liable to be quashed. In this context, it would be apposite to refer to both Section 16(4) of the CGST Act, 2017, as well as amendment made to Section 16 (4) by interpolations of sub-sections 16 (5) and (6), and by insertion of sub-section (5) to Section 16, which are extracted herein under:-

Section 16 (4)

''A regist