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2023 (1) TMI 289 - HC - GSTSupplementary refund of unutilized input tax credit pertaining to Compensatory Cess on inputs used in relation to zero-rated supplies - periods February, 2018 to June, 2018 - refund application(s) being filed manually - Compliance with the provisions of Section 54 read with formula prescribed under Rule 89(4) with reference to claim made under Section 16 of the IGST Act. HELD THAT:- In the instant case, the authority concerned, having adjudicated the application for refund based on transactions of all the three units taken together as per the calculation made by the petitioner itself, had no scope for him to again entertain further claim made on the self-same transactions by computing such refund taking into consideration unit-wise figures, more so when the returns have been furnished by disclosing consolidated figures. Such fresh claim in the garb of supplementary refund would tantamount to review of decision already taken by the Assistant Commissioner-opposite party No.6 and the petitioner had already accepted such grant of refund based on claim set up on its own calculation. The claim for refund of unutilized input tax credit as found in the provisions of Section 16(3) of the IGST Act and Section 16(1) read with Section 54(1) of the GST Act is subject to manner, condition and restriction as “prescribed”. Section 2(87) of the GST Act defines the term “prescribed” to mean “prescribed by rules made under this Act on the recommendations of the Council”. Section 164 of the GST Act empowers the Government to frame rules. Refund of unutilized input tax credit has been provided under Section 54. Corresponding rules are found in Rule 89 of the GST Rules, which is in conformity with the powers conferred under Section 164 of the GST Act. The petitioner did not choose to avail the opportunity of personal hearing as instructed in the aforesaid notice/intimation, but challenged the same before this Court by way of writ petition. This Court is, therefore, of the opinion that the petitioner is not deprived of availing alternative remedy to question the legality of decision taken by the Assistant Commissioner-opposite party No.6 who returned the supplementary application(s) for refund. In the present case, it is not the sole reason to discard manual filing of supplementary refund application based on Circular No. 125/44/2019-GST dated 18.11.2019, but the authority concerned had returned such application assigning different reasons also. Such a decision of Assistant Commissioner, GST & Central Excise, Jharsuguda Division could be challenged in appeal under Section 107 of the GST Act. This Court does not find any merit in the nature of challenge made in the writ petitions and declines to read down Rule 89(4) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017/the Odisha Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 - Petition dismissed.
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