'Land or Water' Excludes Railways: Chhattisgarh High Court Strikes Down Transit Fee On Iron Ore Moved By Rail

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that the state government has no authority to levy transit fees on iron ore transported through railways. The court ruled that such a levy is beyond the scope of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and violates Article 265 of the Constitution. A division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi held that Section 41 of the Act permits the State to regulate transit of forest produce only “by land or water.” It does not extend to...

Exporters Not Using Letters Of Credit Cannot Be Denied Rice Export Duty Exemption: Chhattisgarh High Court Directs ₹2.1 Crore Refund

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that exporters who do not carry out exports through Letters of Credit (LoCs) cannot be denied exemption from export duty on parboiled rice solely on the ground that they failed to satisfy an LoC-related condition in a temporary exemption notification.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru delivered the ruling while allowing the writ petition filed by a Ludhiana-based exporter engaged in the export of parboiled rice. The...

Tax Paid During Probe Must Be Refunded Once No Liability Found: Chhattisgarh High Court Allows Service Tax Refund

The High Court of Chhattisgarh has allowed a service tax appeal filed by an assessee, setting aside orders passed by the department and the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) which had rejected a refund claim as time-barred under Section 102(3) of the Finance Act, 1994 . A Division Bench of Justice Rajani Dubey and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad was hearing an appeal challenging CESTAT's order that denied refund of ₹14.89 lakh deposited by the assessee during...

Service Tax Refund Cannot Be Denied On Limitation When Deposit Was Made During Investigation: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that service tax deposited during the course of investigation cannot be denied refund merely on the ground of limitation under Section 102(3) of the Finance Act, 1994, especially when the department itself later drops proceedings and acknowledges non-liability. The Division Bench of Justice Rajani Dubey and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad allowed a tax appeal filed by a service tax assessee challenging the rejection of a refund claim amounting to...

Income Tax Act | Failure To Raise Timely Objection To Jurisdiction U/S 143(2) Bars Assessee From Challenging Assessment: Chhattisgarh HC

The Chhattisgarh High Court held that failure to raise a timely objection to jurisdiction under Section 143(2) of the Income Tax Act bars the assessee from challenging the assessment. Justices Sanjay K. Agrawal and Radhakishan Agrawal stated that the assessee also did not raise any objection regarding jurisdiction upon completion of his assessment. As such, the plea with regard to the territorial jurisdiction of the ITO was barred by virtue of Section 124(3)(a) of the Income Tax Act....

Input Tax Credit Not Admissible On Electricity Supplied To Township Maintained By Bharat Aluminium: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has stated that the ITC is not admissible on electricity supplied to a township maintained by Bharat Aluminium. The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Ravindra Kumar Agrawal stated that Input Tax Credit (ITC) is not admissible on the electricity supplied to the township maintained by Bharat Aluminium/appellant. This is because such supply cannot be said to have been made in the course or furtherance of the appellant's business, as...

Compensation Received From NHAI For Acquisition Of Land Not Taxable: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court held that the compensation received against the acquisition of land from the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) is not exigible to tax under Section 96 of the RFCTLARR Act (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013). Section 96 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 provides that no income tax or stamp duty...

State Can Interchange Reservation Among Disability Categories; Exclusion Of Visually Impaired From Commerce Faculty Posts Not Illegal : Chhattisgarh HC

A Division bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru held that under Section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the State can interchange reservations among disability categories, so excluding visually impaired candidates for Commerce faculty posts is not illegal. Background Facts An advertisement for 1384 posts of Assistant Professor was issued by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC)...

Cash Deposits During Demonetisation Not 'Unexplained Money' If Traceable To Previous Year's Balance: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court held that cash deposits during demonetisation are not unexplained money if traceable to previous year's balance. Section 69 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 requires the assessee to provide proof of income and provide a proper explanation of the source of such unexplained income. Justices Sanjay K. Agrawal and Deepak Kumar Tiwari stated that the factum of liquidation/refund of short-term loans and advances and its consequential accumulation as cash-in-hand...

ITC Not Available On Cess For Electricity Supplied To Residential Township: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court held that input tax credit is not available on cess for electricity supplied to residential township. Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal stated that the electricity generated is used in the course of or furtherance of his business, which is evident from Form G provided by the taxpayer(assessee), hence, the assessee would not be entitled for ITC to electrical energy consumed for maintenance of its township. In this case, the assessee/petitioner is engaged in...

Reliefs Similar To Those Sought Before Arbitrator & Commercial Court Can't Be Claimed Before Writ Court: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru has held that reliefs similar to those already sought before the Arbitrator and subsequently before the Commercial Court cannot be claimed before the writ court, especially when alternative efficacious remedies are available before the same forums for seeking such reliefs. Brief Facts: The petitioner seeks a direction for release of ₹53,56,026.00 under Clause 46A.7 (price variation clause) of...

Disallowance U/S 143(1)(a) Of Income Tax Act Inapplicable When Issue Involved Is Pending Before Supreme Court: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that an Assessing Officer (AO) cannot apply Section 143(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (the 1961 Act), to disallow a claim where the issue involved, such as the deductibility of employees' contributions to EPF/ESI under Section 36(1)(va), was pending consideration before the Supreme Court in Checkmate Services Pvt. Ltd. v. CIT [(2023) 6 SCC 451].In this regard, a Division Bench of Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal and Justice Deepak Kumar Tiwari held,“…we are of...