TMI Blog2022 (5) TMI 348X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... aving been first resolved on 17.09.2021, well after expiry of the statutory period of limitation and the extended period of limitation, to file the appeal under Section 107 of the Act. Since the petitioner had been disabled from filing appeal (electronically) through the prescribed mode, against the order dated 28.02.2019, for reasons attributable solely to the GSTN authority and not for reasons attributable to the petitioner, it has to be assumed, for the limited purpose of the dispute at hand that the forum of appeal was first made available to the petitioner on 17.09.2021, and not earlier. It is so because 17.09.2021 was the date when GSTN authority first resolved the technical issues that had restrained or prevented the petitioner fr ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... l Authority has rejected as time barred the appeal filed by the petitioner against the order dated 28.02.2019, passed by the Proper Officer, cancelling the petitioner's registration, under Section 29 of the U.P. GST Act, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as the Act). 3. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and having perused the record, it transpires, the petitioner's registration under the Act was sought to be cancelled vide notice dated 28.02.2019. The petitioner submitted his reply thereto on 12.03.2019. However, in absence of the petitioner, the said registration was cancelled by an ex parte order dated 09.08.2019. Here, it is not in dispute that the petitioner was served with a copy of that order at the relevant time t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 019, within the normal period of limitation, computed from the date of that order. Also, there is clear evidence of the said difficulty having been first resolved on 17.09.2021, well after expiry of the statutory period of limitation and the extended period of limitation, to file the appeal under Section 107 of the Act. 8. For ready reference, relevant extract of Section 107 of the Act reads as below: Section 107. Appeals to Appellate Authority (1) Any person aggrieved by any decision or order passed under this Act or the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (Act No. 12 of 2017) by an adjudicating authority may appeal to such Appellate Authority as may be prescribed within three months from the date on which the said deci ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 017 pertaining to procedure to file appeal reads as below: 108. Appeal to the Appellate Authority.- (1) An appeal to the Appellate Authority under sub-section (1) of section 107 shall be filed in FORM GST APL-01 , alongwith the relevant documents, either electronically or otherwise as may be notified by the Commissioner, and a provisional acknowledgement shall be issued to the appellant immediately. (2) The grounds of appeal and the form of verification as contained in FORM GST APL-01 shall be signed in the manner specified in rule 26. (3) A certified copy of the decision or order appealed against shall be submitted within seven days of filing the appeal under sub-rule (1) and a final acknowledgement, indicating appeal n ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the structure of the statute to allow for redressal of genuine grievances. Therefore, the appeal forum (wherever provided) must be seen to exist and be freely available to the person seeking to approach it. There must exist no obstruction to access it within time and opportunity granted by the statute, to institute the appeal, before that authority. 12. In the present case, on a technical construction of the statute, the period of limitation to file an appeal against the order dated 28.02.2019 may appear to run from the date of the order being communicated to the petitioner i.e. 28.02.2019 itself. At the same time, that construction has to be rejected. It is so because, against the order dated 17.09.2021, no appeal could have been filed ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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