M/S. Jogendra Bhoi vs Assistant Commissioner
2025 Latest Caselaw 3328 Ori

Orissa High Court

M/S. Jogendra Bhoi vs Assistant Commissioner on 11 August, 2025

Author: Murahari Sri Raman

Bench: Murahari Sri Raman

                     IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
                               W.P.(C) No.20965 of 2025
                 M/s. Jogendra Bhoi                     ....          Petitioner
                                          Mr. Madhab Lal Agarwal, Advocate
                                          -versus-
                 Assistant Commissioner, Rourkela- ....      Opposite Parties
                 I Division and others
                                          Mr. Avinash Kedia, Junior Standing
                                                                     Counsel
                                          CORAM:
                            THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
                                            AND
                  THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MURAHARI SRI RAMAN
                                           ORDER

Order No. 11.08.2025

01. W.P.(C) No.20965 of 2025 & I.A. No.12532 of 2025

This matter is taken up through Hybrid mode.

2. Mr. Agarwal, learned counsel appears on behalf of petitioner and submits, assuming though not admitting that there could be allegation of suppression by his client, the determination of amount of service tax due was not made anywhere near within one year from date of the notice. He submits, the facts are glaring for him to demonstrate that impossibility to determine within the time cannot be the case of revenue. He relies on use of word 'shall' in sub- section (4B) under section 73 in Finance Act, 1994 to make his point.

3. He relies on judgment dated 4th April, 2024 of a Division Bench in the High Court of Patna (Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case no.18398 of 2023) M/s. Kanak Automobiles Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India and others (tiol print). We reproduce below paragraph-10 from the judgment.

"10. Here, we agree that it is not an absolute mandate that the proceedings should be completed within one year from the notice; but it requires the statutory authority to take all possible steps, so to do and conclude the proceedings within an year. No steps were taken in the entire one year period, which results in the frustration of the goal of expediency as required statutorily. We hence find that the proceedings cannot be continued."

4. Mr. Kedia, learned Junior Standing Counsel for the Revenue with reference to the order of the Apex Court dated 02.05.2025 passed in SLP (C) No.5392 of 2025, copy of which has been produced in similar matters, submits that in view of the observation of the Apex Court at paragraph-9 of the said order, the hearing of this case may be deferred.

5. List this matter on 9th September, 2025 and tag this matter to W.P.(C) No.18713 of 2024. Till then, no coercive action shall be taken against the petitioner.

Urgent certified copy of this order be granted as per rules.

(Harish Tandon) Chief Justice

(M.S. Raman) Judge MRS/Laxmikant

Signed by: LAXMIKANT MOHAPATRA Designation: Senior Stenographer Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 12-Aug-2025 10:29:36