Affiliation Fees Collected By Universities From Colleges Liable To GST: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has held that affiliation fees collected by universities from colleges are liable to Goods and Services Tax (GST). The Court ruled that such services do not fall within the GST exemption for services relating to the admission of students or the conduct of examinations.The Division Bench comprising Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K. K. Ramakrishnan answered a reference arising from writ petitions filed by Bharathidasan University challenging GST notices issued by the...

Assignment Of Leasehold Rights Is Transfer of Immovable Property, Not Taxable as GST Supply: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court at Nagpur, recently following a Gujarat High Court ruling, has held that assignment of leasehold rights in an industrial plot amounts to transfer of benefits arising out of immovable property and does not constitute “supply of services” under the GST law, and therefore GST cannot be levied on such transactions. A division bench of Justices Anil L. Pansare and Nivedita P. Mehta passed the ruling while allowing a writ petition filed by Vidarbha Beverages and its partners...

Bombay High Court Sets Aside Customs Orders On IGST Refund Interest To Jindal Drugs, Directs Fresh Determination

The Bombay High Court has recently set aside orders passed by customs authorities determining the interest payable on an IGST refund to Jindal Drugs Pvt. Ltd., holding that the authorities failed to explain how the interest had been calculated under Section 56 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. A division bench of Justice G. S. Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe found that the impugned orders contained no reasoning showing that the statutory provision governing interest on delayed...

Value Of Materials Supplied Free Of Cost By Service Recipient For Manufacturing Not Taxable Under GST: Andhra Pradesh HC

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has recently reiterated that the value of materials supplied free of cost by a service recipient for manufacture of a product cannot be included in the taxable value under GST, setting aside a tax demand raised on a ready mix concrete supplier. A bench of Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy and Justice Tuhin Kumar Gedela observed that when components required for manufacturing a product are supplied free of cost, their value is not liable to tax. The Court...

Denial Of Input Tax Credit Limited To Depreciated Portion: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on 18 February clarified that Section 16(3) of the CGST Act bars input tax credit only on the part of a capital good's tax component where depreciation is claimed, not on the whole tax component. Justice Ziyad Rahman A A quashed the show-cause notices issued to banking companies that had denied input tax credit on the entire tax component solely because depreciation was claimed on the unavailed portion. The Bench observed: “as far as prohibition contemplated under...

Electronic Credit Ledger Cannot Be Blocked Beyond One Year Under CGST Rules: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court on 25 February, held that the restriction imposed by blocking a taxpayer's electronic credit ledger under Rule 86A of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, cannot continue beyond one year, and any continuation of such blocking after the statutory period is illegal. Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav was hearing a writ petition filed by Jupiter Ventures challenging the action of the tax authorities in blocking its Electronic Credit Ledger on 21 November 2024. The...

Assessment Order Against Deceased Person Without Hearing Legal Heirs Invalid: Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court on 26 February, held that assessment proceedings cannot be validly continued or concluded against the legal heirs of a deceased taxpayer under Section 93 of the CGST Act, which limits liability to the estate inherited, unless the authorities comply with mandatory principles of natural justice, including issuance of a proper notice and grant of an opportunity of hearing to the legal representative. A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice...

GST Payable Separately On Municipal Works Contracts Unless Tender Includes It: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court, on 12 February, held that contractors executing works for local self-government institutions are entitled to payment of GST over and above the contract value, and that such tax cannot be treated as included in the quoted rates unless the tender conditions expressly so provide. Harisankar V. Menon stated that once government circulars categorically mandate that tendered rates for public works are to be quoted exclusive of GST, the municipality cannot subsequently treat GST...

Naming Judges In Affidavits Is “Totally Uncalled For”: Allahabad High Court

Recently, the Allahabad High Court strongly criticised the practice of naming judges in affidavits. Justice Samit Gopal, was hearing a case concerning tax evasion by a Chinese national residing temporarily in Greater Noida, where the Assistant Commissioner, CGST, in his affidavit, had mentioned the names of the judges whose judgments were cited. The Court observed: “This system of mentioning the names of Hon'ble Judges while giving reference to the judgments is totally uncalled for.” Alice...

Check-Posts Cannot Value or Confiscate Goods in Transit: Andhra Pradesh High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that authorities stationed at GST check-posts lack jurisdiction to examine the valuation of goods or to confiscate and levy penalties merely because the goods are in transit. The Bench comprising Justice R. Raghunandan Rao and Justice T.C.D. Sekhar, observed that disputes relating to valuation and tax liability must be examined only by the jurisdictional assessing authority and not by proceedings initiated at the stage of interception under Sections 129 or...

Allahabad High Court Grants Oppo Interim Relief In ₹599 Crore GST Case, Issues Notice On Challenge To CGST Section 15(3)(b)

The Allahabad High Court has recently granted interim protection to Oppo Mobile India Private Limited in its challenge to the validity of Section 15(3)(b) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, after an adjudication order confirmed a total tax demand of Rs 599.07 crore along with equivalent penalty and interest under Section 74 of the Act, according to the writ petition. The order in challenge dated December 12, 2025, confirmed demands of Integrated Goods and Services Tax, Central...

Allahabad High Court Stays GST Order Confirming ₹13 Crore Tax Demand Against Dell India Arm

The Allahabad High Court has recently stayed the operation and effect of a GST demand order against Dell International Services India Private Limited, the Indian services arm of US technology major Dell, after recording its submission that a jurisdictional error had crept into the proceedings. Appearing for the company, counsel submitted that besides violation of principles of natural justice, the adjudicating authority had confirmed a higher demand than what was proposed in the show cause...