SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2011 Supreme(All) 1534

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
F.I.Rebello;CJ, Prakash Krishna, J.
Shiv Shakti Trading Company, Hanuman Ganj -Appellant
Versus
State of U.P.& Ors. -Respondent
Civil Misc. Writ (TAX) Petition No. 756 of 2011
Decided On : 24-05-2011

Advocates:
Rahul Agarwal, for Petitioner, S.P. Kesarwani, C.S.C., for Respondents.

The main legal point established in the judgment is that a person aggrieved against an order of seizure under Section 50 of the U.P. VAT Act has a remedy under Section 57(4) of the Act.

Headnote:

Seizure Order - U.P. Value Added Tax Act - Section 50, Section 48 - The court considered the power of seizure under Section 50 of the U.P. VAT Act and the remedy available to the petitioner. It held that the power to seize goods imported into the State without proper or genuine document is located in Section 50(4) and that a person aggrieved against an order of seizure has a remedy under Section 57(4) of the U.P. VAT Act.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner challenged the seizure order dated 07.05.2011 on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction, violation of natural justice, and illegal passing of the order without fulfilling necessary requirements. The petitioner contended that its TIN No. was suspended and subsequently cancelled without observing the principles of natural justice.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the power to seize goods imported into the State without proper or genuine document is located in Section 50(4) of the U.P. VAT Act. It also found that a person aggrieved against an order of seizure has a remedy under Section 57(4) of the U.P. VAT Act. The court dismissed the petition as the petitioner had an adequate alternative remedy.

Issues: The issues involved in the case were the validity of the seizure order under Section 50 of the U.P. VAT Act, the availability of a remedy under the Act, and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the petition.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the interpretation of Section 50 and Section 48 of the U.P. VAT Act, which determined the power of seizure and the availability of a remedy for a person aggrieved by an order of seizure.

Final Decision: The petition was dismissed by the court as the petitioner had an adequate alternative remedy under Section 57(4) of the U.P. VAT Act.

Prakash Krishna, J.;-

By consent of parties, this petition has been heard and disposed of finally at the admission stage itself, without calling for any counter affidavit considering the controversy involved.

2. The petitioner, by means of the present writ petition, has impugned the seizure order dated 07.05.2011 on the following grounds:-

"(i) Section 50 of U.P. Value Added Tax Act does not permit seizure of a consignment being imported into the State of U.P. on the ground of undervaluation; the entire proceedings suffer from an inherent lack of jurisdiction and are void ab initio.

(ii) The notice to show cause dated 02.05.2011 issued by the respondent No.2 did not specify the basis for alleging undervaluation of the consignment; the notice was vague and did not give sufficient opportunity to meet out the case of the consignment not having been properly valued; it was no notice in the eyes of law.

(iii) The order dated 07.05.2011 has been passed without fulfilling the preconditions necessary for concluding undervaluation of the consignment; the State has not discharged its burden of proving undervaluation of the consignment; the order is illegal and liable to be set aside."

Though these are three grounds raised in the petition, we propose to consider the ground No.1 and in addition the question whether the importer/transporter, has a remedy under the U.P. VAT Act by way of appeal and/or revision.

3. The petitioner, a proprietary concern, contends that its TIN No. 09985603867 was suspended on 04.05.2011 and subsequently cancelled on 10.05.2011. These orders, according to the petitioner, have been passed ex parte, without observing the principles of natural justice and in violation of the statutory norms. The petitioner has challenged these two orders by filing separate proceedings. In the instant case, what is challenged is the order of seizure dated 07.05.2011 passed by respondent no.2.

4. According to the petitioner, it purchased footwear from Bhiwadi, near Alwar in the State of Rajasthan. It carried the products from Bhiwadi to Delhi by local transport and then booked the consignment from Delhi to Ballia through S.S. Forwarding Agency. The consignment was dispatched by a truck. Along with the consignment, the retail invoices, goods receipts and Form 38 No. 18138400503 issued by the petitioner were being carried. On 02.05.2011, the consignment was intercepted by respondent no.2 in Etawah, and a show cause notice was issued to the owner of the truck requiring him to show cause as to why the consignment be not seized. The notice was issued under Section 50 of the Uttar Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the 'U.P. VAT Act'). Reply to the said notice was submitted by the owner of the vehicle to respondent no.2 through the petitioner. As it was alleged in the notice that the goods were undervalued, the petitioner demanded, from the respondents, the basis for alleging the same. The petitioner denied that the goods were undervalued and contended that the charge of undervaluation was unsustainable. The power to seize goods on the ground of undervaluation was not available under the U.P. VAT Act. It was, therefore, contended that the proceedings are void ab initio. The respondent no.2, by order dated 07.05.2011, rejected the reply submitted by the petitioner, estimated the value of the consignment as Rs. 6,37,320/- and also directed for security deposit of Rs.2,96,504/- before the goods are released.

5. At the hearing of this petition, on behalf of the petitioner, learned counsel submits that, under Section 50 of the U.P. VAT Act, no power is conferred to seize the goods on the ground of undervaluation. It is next submitted that there is no remedy available to the petitioner by way of appeal or revision and, consequently, the petitioner has approached this Court by invoking its extraordinary jurisdiction. It is also submitted that, as the notice does not specify the basis for undervaluation of the consignment, the s
































Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top