Allahabad High Court
M/S NUTECH SYSTEM CONTROLversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
Holding
The adjudication order dated 26 April 2024 is set aside because the hearing date was fixed prior to the reply deadline, violating the rules of natural justice.
Summary
M/S Nutech System Control filed a writ petition challenging an adjudication order dated 26 April 2024 issued by the State Tax Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh. The petitioner argued that the hearing date was fixed on the same day as the personal hearing, which preceded the deadline for filing a reply to the show‑cause notice dated 21 March 2024, thereby violating the rules of natural justice. The Court examined the procedural chronology and found that fixing a hearing before the reply date contravenes established administrative instructions that require the reply deadline to be set first. Consequently, the Court held that the impugned order was procedurally defective and could not stand. The order dated 26 April 2024 was set aside, and the petitioner was directed to file its final reply within two weeks, with provisions for cross‑examination or document production if needed. The adjudicating authority was instructed to fix a new hearing date with at least 15 days' notice and to pass a reasoned order by 31 December 2026.
Issues considered
- Whether fixing the date of personal hearing before the deadline for filing a reply violates the rules of natural justice.
- Whether the adjudication order dated 26 April 2024 is valid in view of the procedural irregularity.
- What remedial steps should be taken to rectify the violation of natural justice.
Subjects
- natural justice
- procedural fairness
- show-cause notice
- tax adjudication
- High Court
- writ petition
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT TAX No. - 3684 of 2026
M/S Nutech System Control
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Ashana Agrawal, Manish Chandra
Pandey, Mayank Srivastava
Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C.
Court No. - 39
HON'BLE SAUMITRA DAYAL SINGH, J.
HON'BLE SWARUPAMA CHATURVEDI, J.
1. Having heard Ms. Ashana Agrawal along with Mr. Manish Chandra
Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. Arvind Kumar Mishra,
learned Standing Counsel for the State and having perused the record,
undeniably, the impugned order dated 26.04.2024 has been passed on the
date fixed for personal hearing, that was even before the date for filing
reply 27.03.2024, as disclosed in the Reminder notice dated 21.03.2024.
2. Clearly, the rules of natural justice have been inverted inasmuch as the
date of hearing has been fixed prior to the date of reply. That may never
be done. The administrative instruction issued by the Commissioner are to
the contrary i.e. the first date of reply may be fixed and the date of
hearing may be fixed thereafter.
3. In view of the above, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the
present petition pending or calling for counter affidavit at this stage.
4. Accordingly, the present writ petition is disposed of on the following
terms:
(i) The impugned adjudication order dated 26.04.2024 is set aside.
(ii) The petitioner may file its final reply to the show-cause notice dated
21.03.2024 within a period of two weeks from today.
(iii) If the petitioner claims an opportunity to cross-examine any witness
WTAX No. 3684 of 2026
2
or to be supplied documents relied upon etc., the petitioner may
necessarily make such application along with reply. Such application, if
filed may be dealt with and decided before fixing any date for final
hearing.
(iv) Thereafter, the adjudicating authority may fix and communicate the
petitioner the date for personal hearing with at least 15 days advance
notice.
(v) The adjudicating authority may then pass appropriate reasoned order
within a further period of one month such that the proceedings may be
concluded on or before 31.12.2026.
5. Since, we are coming across a large number of such cases containing
violation of basic fundamental requirement of rules of natural justice, the
Commissioner, State Tax, U.P. may adopt necessary measures undertaken
to improve the quality of adjudication and other orders to ensure
maximum, if not absolute, compliance of essential requirements of rules
of natural justice.
(Swarupama Chaturvedi,J.) (Saumitra Dayal Singh,J.)
September 8, 2026
Prakhar
Digitally signed by :-
PRAKHAR SRIVASTAVA
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
Checking your session…