Chapter XVIII of the Central Goods and Service Tax Act 2017 (Sec. 107 to Sec. 121) deals with Appeals and Revision in GST law:
Appeals to Appellate Authority (Section 107)
(1) Any person aggrieved by any decision or order passed under this Act or the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act by an adjudicating authority may appeal to such Appellate Authority as may be prescribed within three months from the date on which the said decision or order is communicated to such person.
(2) The Commissioner may, on his own motion, or upon request from the Commissioner of State tax or the Commissioner of Union territory tax, call for and examine the record of any proceedings in which an adjudicating authority has passed any decision or order under this Act or the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act, for the purpose of satisfying himself as to the legality or propriety of the said decision or order and may, by order, direct any officer subordinate to him to apply to the Appellate Authority within six months from the date of communication of the said decision or order for the determination of such points arising out of the said decision or order as may be specified by the Commissioner in his order.
(3) Where, in pursuance of an order under sub-section (2), the authorised officer makes an application to the Appellate Authority, such application shall be dealt with by the Appellate Authority as if it were an appeal made against the decision or order of the adjudicating authority and such authorised officer were an appellant and the provisions of this Act relating to appeals shall apply to such application.
(4) The Appellate Authority may, if he is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from presenting the appeal within the aforesaid period of three months or six months, as the case may be, allow it to be presented within a further period of one month.
(5) Every appeal under this section shall be in such form and shall be verified in such manner as may be prescribed.
(6) No appeal shall be filed under sub-section (1), unless the appellant has paid—
(a) in full, such part of the amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty arising from the impugned order, as is admitted by him; and
(b) a sum equal to ten per cent. of the remaining amount of tax in dispute arising from the said order, in relation to which the appeal has been filed.
(7) Where the appellant has paid the amount under sub-section (6), the recovery proceedings for the balance amount shall be deemed to be stayed.
(8) The Appellate Authority shall give an opportunity to the appellant of being heard.
(9) The Appellate Authority may, if sufficient cause is shown at any stage of hearing of an appeal, grant time to the parties or any of them and adjourn the hearing of the appeal for reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a party during hearing of the appeal.
(10) The Appellate Authority may, at the time of hearing of an appeal, allow an appellant to add any ground of appeal not specified in the grounds of appeal, if it is satisfied that the omission of that ground from the grounds of appeal was not wilful or unreasonable.
(11) The Appellate Authority shall, after making such further inquiry as may be necessary, pass such order, as it thinks just and proper, confirming, modifying or annulling the decision or order appealed against but shall not refer the case back to the adjudicating authority that passed the said decision or order:
Provided that an order enhancing any fee or penalty or fine in lieu of confiscation or confiscating goods of greater value or reducing the amount of refund or input tax credit shall not be passed unless the appellant has been given a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed order:
Provided further that where the Appellate Authority is of the opinion that any tax has not been paid or short-paid or erroneously refunded, or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilised, no order requiring the appellant to pay such tax or input tax credit shall be passed unless the appellant is given notice to show cause against the proposed order and the order is passed within the time limit specified under section 73 or section 74.
(12) The order of the Appellate Authority disposing of the appeal shall be in writing and shall state the points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for such decision.
(13) The Appellate Authority shall, where it is possible to do so, hear and decide every appeal within a period of one year from the date on which it is filed:
Provided that where the issuance of order is stayed by an order of a court or Tribunal, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the period of one year.
(14) On disposal of the appeal, the Appellate Authority shall communicate the order passed by it to the appellant, respondent and to the adjudicating authority.
(15) A copy of the order passed by the Appellate Authority shall also be sent to the jurisdictional Commissioner or the authority designated by him in this behalf and the jurisdictional Commissioner of State tax or Commissioner of Union Territory Tax or an authority designated by him in this behalf.
(16) Every order passed under this section shall, subject to the provisions of section 108 or section 113 or section 117 or section 118 be final and binding on the parties.
Powers of Revisional Authority (Section 108)
(1) Subject to the provisions of section 121 and any rules made thereunder, the Revisional Authority may, on his own motion, or upon information received by him or on request from the Commissioner of State tax, or the Commissioner of Union territory tax, call for and examine the record of any proceedings, and if he considers that any decision or order passed under this Act or under the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act by any officer subordinate to him is erroneous in so far as it is prejudicial to the interest of revenue and is illegal or improper or has not taken into account certain material facts, whether available at the time of issuance of the said order or not or in consequence of an observation by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, he may, if necessary, stay the operation of such decision or order for such period as he deems fit and after giving the person concerned an opportunity of being heard and after making such further inquiry as may be necessary, pass such order, as he thinks just and proper, including enhancing or modifying or annulling the said decision or order.
(2) The Revisional Authority shall not exercise any power under sub-section (1), if—
(a) the order has been subject to an appeal under section 107 or section 112 or section 117 or section 118; or
(b) the period specified under sub-section (2) of section 107 has not yet expired or more than three years have expired after the passing of the decision or order sought to be revised; or
(c) the order has already been taken for revision under this section at an earlier stage; or
(d) the order has been passed in exercise of the powers under sub-section (1):
Provided that the Revisional Authority may pass an order under sub-section (1) on any point which has not been raised and decided in an appeal referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2), before the expiry of a period of one year from the date of the order in such appeal or before the expiry of a period of three years referred to in clause (b) of that sub-section, whichever is later.
(3) Every order passed in revision under sub-section (1) shall, subject to the provisions of section 113 or section 117 or section 118, be final and binding on the parties.
(4) If the said decision or order involves an issue on which the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court has given its decision in some other proceedings and an appeal to the High Court or the Supreme Court against such decision of the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court is pending, the period spent between the date of the decision of the Appellate Tribunal and the date of the decision of the High Court or the date of the decision of the High Court and the date of the decision of the Supreme Court shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2) where proceedings for revision have been initiated by way of issue of a notice under this section.
(5) Where the issuance of an order under sub-section (1) is stayed by the order of a court or Appellate Tribunal, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2).
(6) For the purposes of this section, the term,––
(i) “record” shall include all records relating to any proceedings under this Act available at the time of examination by the Revisional Authority;
(ii) “decision” shall include intimation given by any officer lower in rank than the Revisional Authority.
Constitution of Appellate Tribunal and Benches thereof (Section 109)
(1) The Government shall, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, constitute with effect from such date as may be specified therein, an Appellate Tribunal known as the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal for hearing appeals against the orders passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority.
(2) The powers of the Appellate Tribunal shall be exercisable by the National Bench and Benches thereof (hereinafter in this Chapter referred to as “Regional Benches”), State Bench and Benches thereof (hereafter in this Chapter referred to as “Area Benches”).
(3) The National Bench of the Appellate Tribunal shall be situated at New Delhi which shall be presided over by the President and shall consist of one Technical Member (Centre) and one Technical Member (State).
(4) The Government shall, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, constitute such number of Regional Benches as may be required and such Regional Benches shall consist of a Judicial Member, one Technical Member (Centre) and one Technical Member (State).
(5) The National Bench or Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal shall have jurisdiction to hear appeals against the orders passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority in the cases where one of the issues involved relates to the place of supply.
(6) The Government shall, by notification, specify for each State or Union territory, a Bench of the Appellate Tribunal (hereafter in this Chapter, referred to as “State Bench”) for exercising the powers of the Appellate Tribunal within the concerned State or Union territory:
Provided that the Government shall, on receipt of a request from any State Government, constitute such number of Area Benches in that State, as may be recommended by the Council:
Provided further that the Government may, on receipt of a request from any State, or on its own motion for a Union territory, notify the Appellate Tribunal in a State to act as the Appellate Tribunal for any other State or Union territory, as may be recommended by the Council, subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.
(7) The State Bench or Area Benches shall have jurisdiction to hear appeals against the orders passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority in the cases involving matters other than those referred to in sub-section (5).
(8) The President and the State President shall, by general or special order, distribute the business or transfer cases among Regional Benches or, as the case may be, Area Benches in a State.
(9) Each State Bench and Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal shall consist of a Judicial Member, one Technical Member (Centre) and one Technical Member (State) and the State Government may designate the senior most Judicial Member in a State as the State President.
(10) In the absence of a Member in any Bench due to vacancy or otherwise, any appeal may, with the approval of the President or, as the case may be, the State President, be heard by a Bench of two Members:
Provided that any appeal where the tax or input tax credit involved or the difference in tax or input tax credit involved or the amount of fine, fee or penalty determined in any order appealed against, does not exceed five lakh rupees and which does not involve any question of law may, with the approval of the President and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed on the recommendations of the Council, be heard by a bench consisting of a single member.
(11) If the Members of the National Bench, Regional Benches, State Bench or Area Benches differ in opinion on any point or points, it shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority, if there is a majority, but if the Members are equally divided, they shall state the point or points on which they differ, and the case shall be referred by the President or as the case may be, State President for hearing on such point or points to one or more of the other Members of the National Bench, Regional Benches, State Bench or Area Benches and such point or points shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority of Members who have heard the case, including those who first heard it.
(12) The Government, in consultation with the President may, for the administrative convenience, transfer—
(a) any Judicial Member or a Member Technical (State) from one Bench to another Bench, whether National or Regional; or
(b) any Member Technical (Centre) from one Bench to another Bench, whether National, Regional, State or Area.
(13) The State Government, in consultation with the State President may, for the administrative convenience, transfer a Judicial Member or a Member Technical (State) from one Bench to another Bench within the State.
(14) No act or proceedings of the Appellate Tribunal shall be questioned or shall be invalid merely on the ground of the existence of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Appellate Tribunal.
President and Members of Appellate Tribunal, their qualification, appointment, conditions of service, etc. (Section 110)
(1) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as—
(a) the President, unless he has been a Judge of the Supreme Court or is or has been the Chief Justice of a High Court, or is or has been a Judge of a High Court for a period not less than five years;
(b) a Judicial Member, unless he—
(i) has been a Judge of the High Court; or
(ii) is or has been a District Judge qualified to be appointed as a Judge of a High Court; or
(iii) is or has been a Member of Indian Legal Service and has held a post not less than Additional Secretary for three years;
(c) a Technical Member (Centre) unless he is or has been a member of Indian Revenue (Customs and Central Excise) Service, Group A, and has completed at least fifteen years of service in Group A;
(d) a Technical Member (State) unless he is or has been an officer of the State Government not below the rank of Additional Commissioner of Value Added Tax or the State goods and services tax or such rank as may be notified by the concerned State Government on the recommendations of the Council with at least three years of experience in the administration of an existing law or the State Goods and Services Tax Act or in the field of finance and taxation.
(2) The President and the Judicial Members of the National Bench and the Regional Benches shall be appointed by the Government after consultation with the Chief Justice of India or his nominee:
Provided that in the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the office of the President by reason of his death, resignation or otherwise, the senior most Member of the National Bench shall act as the President until the date on which a new President, appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Act to fill such vacancy, enters upon his office:
Provided further that where the President is unable to discharge his functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the senior most Member of the National Bench shall discharge the functions of the President until the date on which the President resumes his duties.
(3) The Technical Member (Centre) and Technical Member (State) of the National Bench and Regional Benches shall be appointed by the Government on the recommendations of a Selection Committee consisting of such persons and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(4) The Judicial Member of the State Bench or Area Benches shall be appointed by the State Government after consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court of the State or his nominee.
(5) The Technical Member (Centre) of the State Bench or Area Benches shall be appointed by the Central Government and Technical Member (State) of the State Bench or Area Benches shall be appointed by the State Government in such manner as may be prescribed.
(6) No appointment of the Members of the Appellate Tribunal shall be invalid merely by the reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Selection Committee.
(7) Before appointing any person as the President or Members of the Appellate Tribunal, the Central Government or, as the case may be, the State Government, shall satisfy itself that such person does not have any financial or other interests which are likely to prejudicially affect his functions as such President or Member.
(8) The salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the President, State President and the Members of the Appellate Tribunal shall be such as may be prescribed:
Provided that neither salary and allowances nor other terms and conditions of service of the President, State President or Members of the Appellate Tribunal shall be varied to their disadvantage after their appointment.
(9) The President of the Appellate Tribunal shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office, or until he attains the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(10) The Judicial Member of the Appellate Tribunal and the State President shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office, or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(11) The Technical Member (Centre) or Technical Member (State) of the Appellate Tribunal shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office, or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(12)The President, State President or any Member may, by notice in writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government or, as the case may be, the State Government resign from his office:
Provided that the President, State President or Member shall continue to hold office until the expiry of three months from the date of receipt of such notice by the Central Government, or, as the case may be, the State Government or until a person duly appointed as his successor enters upon his office or until the expiry of his term of office, whichever is the earliest.
(13) The Central Government may, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, in case of the President, Judicial Members and Technical Members of the National Bench, Regional Benches or Technical Members (Centre) of the State Bench or Area Benches, and the State Government may, after consultation with the Chief Justice of High Court, in case of the State President, Judicial Members, Technical Members (State) of the State Bench or Area Benches, may remove from the office such President or Member, who—
(a) has been adjudged an insolvent; or
(b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of such Government involves moral turpitude; or
(c) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as such President, State President or Member; or
(d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as such President, State President or Member; or
(e) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicial to the public interest:
Provided that the President, State President or the Member shall not be removed on any of the grounds specified in clauses (d) and (e), unless he has been informed of the charges against him and has been given an opportunity of being heard.
(14) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (13),––
(a) the President or a Judicial and Technical Member of the National Bench or Regional Benches, Technical Member (Centre) of the State Bench or Area Benches shall not be removed from their office except by an order made by the Central Government on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after an inquiry made by a Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice of India on a reference made to him by the Central Government and of which the President or the said Member had been given an opportunity of being heard;
(b) the Judicial Member or Technical Member (State) of the State Bench or Area Benches shall not be removed from their office except by an order made by the State Government on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after an inquiry made by a Judge of the concerned High Court nominated by the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court on a reference made to him by the State Government and of which the said Member had been given an opportunity of being heard.
(15) The Central Government, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of India, may suspend from office, the President or a Judicial or Technical Members of the National Bench or the Regional Benches or the Technical Member (Centre) of the State Bench or Area Benches in respect of whom a reference has been made to the Judge of the Supreme Court under sub-section (14).
(16) The State Government, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, may suspend from office, a Judicial Member or Technical Member (State) of the State Bench or Area Benches in respect of whom a reference has been made to the Judge of the High Court under sub-section (14).
(17) Subject to the provisions of article 220 of the Constitution, the President, State President or other Members, on ceasing to hold their office, shall not be eligible to appear, act or plead before the National Bench and the Regional Benches or the State Bench and the Area Benches thereof where he was the President or, as the case may be, a Member.
Procedure before Appellate Tribunal (Section 111)
(1) The Appellate Tribunal shall not, while disposing of any proceedings before it or an appeal before it, be bound by the procedure laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to the other provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the Appellate Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure.
(2) The Appellate Tribunal shall, for the purposes of discharging its functions under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 while trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:—
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;
(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;
(d) subject to the provisions of sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, requisitioning any public record or document or a copy of such record or document from any office;
(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;
(f) dismissing a representation for default or deciding it ex parte;
(g) setting aside any order of dismissal of any representation for default or any order passed by it ex parte; and
(h) any other matter which may be prescribed.
(3) Any order made by the Appellate Tribunal may be enforced by it in the same manner as if it were a decree made by a court in a suit pending therein, and it shall be lawful for the Appellate Tribunal to send for execution of its orders to the court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction,—
(a) in the case of an order against a company, the registered office of the company is situated; or
(b) in the case of an order against any other person, the person concerned voluntarily resides or carries on business or personally works for gain.
(4) All proceedings before the Appellate Tribunal shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the purposes of section 196 of the Indian Penal Code, and the Appellate Tribunal shall be deemed to be civil court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
Appeals to Appellate Tribunal (Section 112)
(1) Any person aggrieved by an order passed against him under section 107 or section 108 of this Act or the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act may appeal to the Appellate Tribunal against such order within three months from the date on which the order sought to be appealed against is communicated to the person preferring the appeal.
(2) The Appellate Tribunal may, in its discretion, refuse to admit any such appeal where the tax or input tax credit involved or the difference in tax or input tax credit involved or the amount of fine, fee or penalty determined by such order, does not exceed fifty thousand rupees.
(3) The Commissioner may, on his own motion, or upon request from the Commissioner of State tax or Commissioner of Union territory tax, call for and examine the record of any order passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority under this Act or the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act for the purpose of satisfying himself as to the legality or propriety of the said order and may, by order, direct any officer subordinate to him to apply to the Appellate Tribunal within six months from the date on which the said order has been passed for determination of such points arising out of the said order as may be specified by the Commissioner in his order.
(4) Where in pursuance of an order under sub-section (3) the authorised officer makes an application to the Appellate Tribunal, such application shall be dealt with by the Appellate Tribunal as if it were an appeal made against the order under sub-section (11) of section 107 or under sub-section (1) of section 108 and the provisions of this Act shall apply to such application, as they apply in relation to appeals filed under sub-section (1).
(5) On receipt of notice that an appeal has been preferred under this section, the party against whom the appeal has been preferred may, notwithstanding that he may not have appealed against such order or any part thereof, file, within forty-five days of the receipt of notice, a memorandum of cross-objections, verified in the prescribed manner, against any part of the order appealed against and such memorandum shall be disposed of by the Appellate Tribunal, as if it were an appeal presented within the time specified in sub-section (1).
(6) The Appellate Tribunal may admit an appeal within three months after the expiry of the period referred to in sub-section (1), or permit the filing of a memorandum of cross-objections within forty-five days after the expiry of the period referred to in sub-section (5) if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not presenting it within that period.
(7) An appeal to the Appellate Tribunal shall be in such form, verified in such manner and shall be accompanied by such fee, as may be prescribed.
(8) No appeal shall be filed under sub-section (1), unless the appellant has paid––
(a) in full, such part of the amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty arising from the impugned order, as is admitted by him, and
(b) a sum equal to twenty per cent. of the remaining amount of tax in dispute, in addition to the amount paid under sub-section (6) of section 107, arising from the said order, in relation to which the appeal has been filed.
(9) Where the appellant has paid the amount as per sub-section (8), the recovery proceedings for the balance amount shall be deemed to be stayed till the disposal of the appeal.
(10) Every application made before the Appellate Tribunal,—
(a) in an appeal for rectification of error or for any other purpose; or
(b) for restoration of an appeal or an application,
shall be accompanied by such fees as may be prescribed.
Orders of Appellate Tribunal (Section 113)
(1) The Appellate Tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or annulling the decision or order appealed against or may refer the case back to the Appellate Authority, or the Revisional Authority or to the original adjudicating authority, with such directions as it may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or decision after taking additional evidence, if necessary.
(2) The Appellate Tribunal may, if sufficient cause is shown, at any stage of hearing of an appeal, grant time to the parties or any of them and adjourn the hearing of the appeal for reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a party during hearing of the appeal.
(3) The Appellate Tribunal may amend any order passed by it under sub-section (1) so as to rectify any error apparent on the face of the record, if such error is noticed by it on its own accord, or is brought to its notice by the Commissioner or the Commissioner of State tax or the Commissioner of the Union territory tax or the other party to the appeal within a period of three months from the date of the order:
Provided that no amendment which has the effect of enhancing an assessment or reducing a refund or input tax credit or otherwise increasing the liability of the other party, shall be made under this sub-section, unless the party has been given an opportunity of being heard.
(4) The Appellate Tribunal shall, as far as possible, hear and decide every appeal within a period of one year from the date on which it is filed.
(5) The Appellate Tribunal shall send a copy of every order passed under this section to the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority, or the original adjudicating authority, as the case may be, the appellant and the jurisdictional Commissioner or the Commissioner of State tax or the Union territory tax.
(6) Save as provided in section 117 or section 118, orders passed by the Appellate Tribunal on an appeal shall be final and binding on the parties.
Financial and administrative powers of President (Section 114)
The President shall exercise such financial and administrative powers over the National Bench and Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal as may be prescribed:
Provided that the President shall have the authority to delegate such of his financial and administrative powers as he may think fit to any other Member or any officer of the National Bench and Regional Benches, subject to the condition that such Member or officer shall, while exercising such delegated powers, continue to act under the direction, control and supervision of the President.
Interest on refund of amount paid for admission of appeal (Section 115)
Where an amount paid by the appellant under sub-section (6) of section 107 or sub-section (8) of section 112 is required to be refunded consequent to any order of the Appellate Authority or of the Appellate Tribunal, interest at the rate specified under section 56 shall be payable in respect of such refund from the date of payment of the amount till the date of refund of such amount.
Appearance by authorised representative (Section 116)
(1) Any person who is entitled or required to appear before an officer appointed under this Act, or the Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal in connection with any proceedings under this Act, may, otherwise than when required under this Act to appear personally for examination on oath or affirmation, subject to the other provisions of this section, appear by an authorised representative.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, the expression “authorised representative” shall mean a person authorised by the person referred to in sub-section (1) to appear on his behalf, being—
(a) his relative or regular employee; or
(b) an advocate who is entitled to practice in any court in India, and who has not been debarred from practicing before any court in India; or
(c) any chartered accountant, a cost accountant or a company secretary, who holds a certificate of practice and who has not been debarred from practice; or
(d) a retired officer of the Commercial Tax Department of any State Government or Union territory or of the Board who, during his service under the Government, had worked in a post not below the rank than that of a Group-B Gazetted officer for a period of not less than two years:
Provided that such officer shall not be entitled to appear before any proceedings under this Act for a period of one year from the date of his retirement or resignation; or
(e) any person who has been authorised to act as a goods and services tax practitioner on behalf of the concerned registered person.
(3) No person,—
(a) who has been dismissed or removed from Government service; or
(b) who is convicted of an offence connected with any proceedings under this Act, the State Goods and Services Tax Act, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act, or under the existing law or under any of the Acts passed by a State Legislature dealing with the imposition of taxes on sale of goods or supply of goods or services or both; or
(c) who is found guilty of misconduct by the prescribed authority;
(d) who has been adjudged as an insolvent,
shall be qualified to represent any person under sub-section (1)—
(i) for all times in case of persons referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (c); and
(ii) for the period during which the insolvency continues in the case of a person referred to in clause (d).
(4) Any person who has been disqualified under the provisions of the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be disqualified under this Act.
Appeal to High Court (Section 117)
(1) Any person aggrieved by any order passed by the State Bench or Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal may file an appeal to the High Court and the High Court may admit such appeal, if it is satisfied that the case involves a substantial question of law.
(2) An appeal under sub-section (1) shall be filed within a period of one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the order appealed against is received by the aggrieved person and it shall be in such form, verified in such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that the High Court may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing it within such period.
(3) Where the High Court is satisfied that a substantial question of law is involved in any case, it shall formulate that question and the appeal shall be heard only on the question so formulated, and the respondents shall, at the hearing of the appeal, be allowed to argue that the case does not involve such question:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to take away or abridge the power of the court to hear, for reasons to be recorded, the appeal on any other substantial question of law not formulated by it, if it is satisfied that the case involves such question.
(4) The High Court shall decide the question of law so formulated and deliver such judgment thereon containing the grounds on which such decision is founded and may award such cost as it deems fit.
(5) The High Court may determine any issue which––
(a) has not been determined by the State Bench or Area Benches; or
(b) has been wrongly determined by the State Bench or Area Benches, by reason of a decision on such question of law as herein referred to in sub-section (3).
(6) Where an appeal has been filed before the High Court, it shall be heard by a Bench of not less than two Judges of the High Court, and shall be decided in accordance with the opinion of such Judges or of the majority, if any, of such Judges.
(7) Where there is no such majority, the Judges shall state the point of law upon which they differ and the case shall, then, be heard upon that point only, by one or more of the other Judges of the High Court and such point shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority of the Judges who have heard the case including those who first heard it.
(8) Where the High Court delivers a judgment in an appeal filed before it under this section, effect shall be given to such judgment by either side on the basis of a certified copy of the judgment.
(9) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, relating to appeals to the High Court shall, as far as may be, apply in the case of appeals under this section.
Appeal to Supreme Court (Section 118)
(1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court—
(a) from any order passed by the National Bench or Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal; or
(b) from any judgment or order passed by the High Court in an appeal made under section 117 in any case which, on its own motion or on an application made by or on behalf of the party aggrieved, immediately after passing of the judgment or order, the High Court certifies to be a fit one for appeal to the Supreme Court.
(2) The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, relating to appeals to the Supreme Court shall, so far as may be, apply in the case of appeals under this section as they apply in the case of appeals from decrees of a High Court.
(3) Where the judgment of the High Court is varied or reversed in the appeal, effect shall be given to the order of the Supreme Court in the manner provided in section 117 in the case of a judgment of the High Court.
Sums due to be paid notwithstanding appeal, etc. (Section 119)
Notwithstanding that an appeal has been preferred to the High Court or the Supreme Court, sums due to the Government as a result of an order passed by the National or Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) of section 113 or an order passed by the State Bench or Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) of section 113 or an order passed by the High Court under section 117, as the case may be, shall be payable in accordance with the order so passed.
Appeal not to be filed in certain cases (Section 120)
(1) The Board may, on the recommendations of the Council, from time to time, issue orders or instructions or directions fixing such monetary limits, as it may deem fit, for the purposes of regulating the filing of appeal or application by the officer of the central tax under the provisions of this Chapter.
(2) Where, in pursuance of the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1), the officer of the central tax has not filed an appeal or application against any decision or order passed under the provisions of this Act, it shall not preclude such officer of the central tax from filing appeal or application in any other case involving the same or similar issues or questions of law.
(3) Notwithstanding the fact that no appeal or application has been filed by the officer of the central tax pursuant to the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1), no person, being a party in appeal or application shall contend that the officer of the central tax has acquiesced in the decision on the disputed issue by not filing an appeal or application.
(4) The Appellate Tribunal or court hearing such appeal or application shall have regard to the circumstances under which appeal or application was not filed by the officer of the central tax in pursuance of the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1).
Non-appealable decisions and orders (Section 121)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any provisions of this Act, no appeal shall lie against any decision taken or order passed by an officer of central tax if such decision taken or order passed relates to any one or more of the following matters, namely:—
(a) an order of the Commissioner or other authority empowered to direct transfer of proceedings from one officer to another officer; or
(b) an order pertaining to the seizure or retention of books of account, register and other documents; or
(c) an order sanctioning prosecution under this Act; or
(d) an order passed under section 80.
a
Appeals and Review Mechanism under GST
Introduction
Tax laws (or any laws, for that matter) impose obligations. Such obligations are broadly of two kinds: tax-related and procedure-related. The taxpayer’s compliance with these obligations is verified by the tax officer (by various instruments such as scrutiny, audit, anti-evasion, etc.), as a result of which sometimes there are situations of actual or perceived non-compliance. If the difference in views persists, it results into a dispute, which is then required to be resolved.
Tax law recognizes that on any given set of facts and laws, there can be different opinions or viewpoints. Hence, it is likely that the taxpayer may not agree with the “adjudication order” so passed by the tax officer. It is equally possible that the Department may itself not be in agreement with the adjudication order in some cases. It is for this reason that the statute provides further channels of appeal, to both sides.
However, since the right to appeal is a statutory right, the statute also places reasonable fetters on the exercise of that right. The time limits prescribed by the statute for filing of appeals and the requirement of pre-deposit of a certain sum before the appeal can be heard by the competent authority are examples of such fetters on the statutory right.
GST being implemented in our country is a dual GST i.e. to say every supply attracting the levy will be leviable to both central tax and state tax. So does this mean that if a taxpayer is aggrieved by any such transaction, he will have to approach both the authorities for exercising his right of appeal? The answer is a plain NO. The Act makes provisions for cross empowerment between CGST and SGST/ UTGST officers so as to ensure that if a proper officer of one Act (say CGST) passes an order with respect to a transaction, he will also act as the proper officer of SGST for the same transaction and issue the order with respect to the CGST as well as the SGST/UTGST component of the same transaction. The Act also provides that where a proper officer under one Act(say CGST) has passed an order, any appeal/review/revision/
Appellate Mechanism
A person who is aggrieved by a decision or order passed against him by an adjudicating authority, can file an appeal to the Appellate Authority (AA, for short). It is important to note that it is only the aggrieved person who can file the appeal. Also, the appeal must be against a decision or order passed under the Act. It is to be noted that no appeals whatsoever can be filed against the following orders:-
(a) an order of the Commissioner or other authority empowered to direct transfer of proceedings from one officer to another officer;
(b) an order pertaining to the seizure or retention of books of account, register and other documents; or
(c) an order sanctioning prosecution under the Act; or
(d) an order passed under section 80 (payment of tax in instalments).
The time limit for the party to file an appeal before the AA is 3 months from the date of communication of the impugned order. But the AA may condone a delay of up to one month, if he is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for such delay.
The AA has to follow the principles of natural justice – such as hearing the appellant, allowing reasonable adjournments (not more than 3), permitting additional grounds (if found reasonable), etc. The AA can also make such further inquiry as may be necessary.
On conclusion of the appeal process, the AA will pass his order (Order-in-Appeal) which may confirm, modify or annul the decision or order appealed against but shall not refer the case back to the authority that passed the said decision or order. The AA can also increase the “rigour” of the order appealed against by enhancing any fee or penalty or fine in lieu of confiscation or confiscating goods of greater value or reducing the amount of refund or input tax credit, but this can only be done after the AA has given to the appellant a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed order. Further, if the AA is of the opinion that any tax has not been paid or short-paid or erroneously refunded, or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilized, no order requiring the appellant to pay such tax or input tax credit shall be passed unless the appellant is given notice to show cause against the proposed order and the order is passed within the time limit specified under section 73 or Section 74 of the CGST Act, 2017.
The Order-in-appeal has to be a “speaking order” i.e. it should state the points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for the decision. The law provides an advisory time limit of 1 year from date of filing of appeal for the AA to decide the appeal.
Appeals before Tribunal
The Tribunal is the second level of appeal, where appeals can be filed against the orders-in-appeal passed by the AA or order in revision passed by revisional authority, by any person aggrieved by such an order-in-appeal/Order in revision.
The law envisages constitution of a two tier Tribunal i.e. National Bench/Regional Benches and the State Bench/ Area Benches. Jurisdiction of the two constituents of the GST Tribunal is also defined. If place of supply is one of the issues in dispute, then the National Bench/ Regional benches of the Tribunal will have jurisdiction to hear the appeal. If the dispute relates to issues other than the place of supply, then the State/Area Benches will have the jurisdiction to hear the appeal. An appeal from the decision of the National Bench will lie directly to the Supreme Court and an appeal from the decision of the State Bench will lie to the jurisdictional High Court on substantial questions of law.
Appeal to the Tribunal by the aggrieved person is to be filed within 3 months from the communication of the order under appeal. Further, Tribunal has the power to condone delay (of up to 3 months in case of appeals or 45 days in case of cross objections, beyond the mandatory period) on being satisfied that there is sufficient cause for the delay. The Tribunal has the discretion not to admit any appeal involving an amount of Rs. Fifty Thousand or less.
The law also provides for filing of cross-objections by the respondent against such part of the order against which the respondent may initially not have chosen to file an appeal. It is provided that on receipt of notice that an appeal has been filed (by the appellant), the party against whom the appeal has been preferred (i.e. the respondent) may, notwithstanding that he may not have appealed against such order or any part thereof, file within 45 days a memorandum of cross-objections against any part of the order appealed against and such memorandum shall be disposed of by the Appellate Tribunal as if it were an appeal presented within the time specified for the initial appeal.
Condonation of delay (on sufficient cause) applies here also, but only to the extent of further 45 days from the date of expiry of the period for filing cross objections. The form, fees, etc. for the appeals to Tribunal shall be as prescribed by Rules.
The Tribunal after hearing both sides may pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or annulling the decision or order appealed against or may refer the case back to the AA or to the revisional authority, or to the original adjudicating authority, with such directions as it may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or decision, as the case may be, after taking additional evidence, if necessary. For reasons of natural justice (reasonable opportunity) it is also provided that the Tribunal may, if sufficient cause is shown, grant up to 3 adjournments to either side.
Concept of pre-deposit
As mentioned earlier, the right to appeal is a statutory right which operates within the limitations placed on it by the law. One such limitation flows from the principle that an appellant must first deposit the adjudged dues before his further appeal can be heard. However, often an appellant may succeed in his appeal, and hence it would (in retrospect) be unfair to saddle him with this financial burden. To balance these factors, tax laws mandate some “pre-deposit” so as to discourage frivolous appeals and also safeguard the bonafide interests of both the taxpayers and the revenue.
The CGST Act, 2017 require an appellant before AA to pre-deposit full amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty, as is admitted by him, arising from the impugned order and a sum equal to 10% of the remaining amount of tax in dispute arising from the impugned order.
In so far as appeals to the Tribunal is concerned, no appeal can be filed before the Tribunal unless the appellant has deposited in full, such part of the amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty arising from the impugned order, as is admitted by him, and a sum equal to 20% of the remaining amount of tax in dispute, in addition to the amount deposited before the AA, arising from the said order, in relation to which appeal has been filed.
If the pre-deposit made by the appellant before the AA or Tribunal is required to be refunded consequent to any order of the AA or of the Tribunal, as the case may be, interest at the rate specified in Section 56 shall be payable from the date of payment of the amount (and not from the date of order of AA or of the Tribunal) till the date of refund of such amount.
Appeals by the Department (CGST/SGST) before the AA/Tribunal
At times, the Department itself is not in agreement with the decision or order passed by the (initial) adjudicating authority or the appellate authority. The GST Law provides that in such cases, the Department can file what is commonly known as a “review application/appeal”.
The GST Law gives powers to the Commissioner to review any order passed by his subordinates acting either as an adjudicating authority, or the appellate authority or revisional authority. If the Commissioner is of the view that any order passed by such authorities are not legal and proper, he can direct any officer subordinate to him to apply to the competent authority. For example,if the order of adjudicating authority is reviewed, he can order his subordinate to file an appeal before the appellate authority. If the order of the appellate authority or the revisional authority is reviewed, he can direct his subordinate to file an appeal before the Tribunal. The grounds for appeal will be mentioned in his order. The review of the order and the consequent filing of appeal by the subordinate has to be done within a period of six months from the date of communication of the order. The resultant review application is required to be dealt with by the AA or the Tribunal as if it were an appeal made against the decision or order of the adjudicating authority and the statutory provisions relating to appeals shall, so far as may be, apply to such application.
Revision by Commissioner (CGST/SGST)
The GST Act also provides for the mechanism of revision, by the Revisional Authority, of the orders passed by his subordinate officers. If the Revisional Authority on examination of the case records is of the view that the decision or order passed by any officer subordinate to him is erroneous in so far as it is prejudicial to the interest of the revenue, and is illegal or improper or has not taken into account material facts, he may, if necessary, stay the operation of such decision or order for such period as he deems fit and after giving the person concerned an opportunity of being heard and after making such further inquiry as may be necessary, pass such order, as he thinks just and proper, including enhancing or modifying or annulling the said decision or order.
The above power is subject to the condition that non- appealable orders and decision cannot be revised. Further the power of revision cannot be exercised if: –
(a) the order has been subject to an appeal before AA or Tribunal or High Court or Supreme Court; or
(b) the period of six months (from the date of communication of order) has not yet expired or more than three years have expired after the passing of the decision or order sought to be revised; or
(c) the order has already been taken for revision at an earlier stage; or
(d) the order sought to be revised is a revisional order in the first place:
If the said decision or order involves an issue on which the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court has given its decision in some other proceedings and an appeal to the High Court or the Supreme Court against such decision of the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court is pending, the period spent between the date of the decision of the Appellate Tribunal and the date of the decision of the High Court or the date of the decision of the High Court and the date of the decision of the Supreme Court shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation of 3 years where proceedings for revision have been initiated by way of issue of a notice under section 108 of the CGST Act, 2017.
However, the Revisional Authority may pass an order on any point which has not been raised and decided in an appeal before AA/Tribunal/HC/SC, before the expiry of a period of one year from the date of the order in such appeal or before the expiry of a period of three years from the date of initial order, whichever is later.
Concept of authorised representative
Any person who is entitled or required to appear before a GST Officer or the AA or the Tribunal in connection with any proceedings under the Act, may appear through an authorised representative (except when he is required under the Act to appear personally for examination on oath or affirmation).
For this purpose, “authorised representative” has been defined in the Act itself. Broadly, it includes a relative, a regular employee, an advocate, a chartered accountant, a cost accountant, a company secretary, or any person with prescribed qualifications. It is also provided that indirect tax gazetted officers can appear as authorised representatives after one year from retirement.
The GST law also provides for some disqualifications for an authorised representative such as dismissal from government service, conviction under some specified Acts, insolvency, misconduct, etc. Such orders of disqualification are, however, required to be passed after following the principles of natural justice.
Appeal to the High Court
The law provides that either side (department or party) if aggrieved by any order passed by the State Bench or Area Bench of the Tribunal may file an appeal to the High Court and the High Court may admit such appeal if it is satisfied that the case involves a substantial question of law. It is to be noted that on facts, the tribunal is the final authority.
Appeals to the High Court are to be filed within 180 days, but the HC has the power to condone delay on being satisfied of sufficient cause for the same.
On being satisfied that a substantial question of law is involved, the High Court shall formulate that question, and the appeal shall be heard only on the question so formulated. However, the High Court has the power to hear the appeal on any other substantial question of law if it is satisfied that the case involves such a question. The High Court shall decide the questions of law so formulated and deliver such judgment thereon containing the grounds on which such decision is founded and may award such cost as it deems fit. The High Court may determine any issue which has not been determined by the Tribunal or has been wrongly determined by the Tribunal, by reason of a decision on such questions of law.
Appeal to the Supreme Court
The law provides for appeals to the Supreme Court from any judgment or order passed by the High Court, in any case which, on its own motion or on an oral application made by or on behalf of the party aggrieved, immediately after passing of the judgment or order, the High Court certifies to be a fit one for appeal to the Supreme Court.
A (direct) appeal shall also lie to the Supreme Court from any orders passed by the National/Regional Bench of the Tribunal. It may be noted that the National/Regional Bench of the Tribunal has jurisdiction to entertain appeal if the dispute or one of the issues in dispute involves place of supply.
