Guj HC holds Appellate Tribunal has power to extend stay beyond 365 days

The Hon’ble Gujarat High Court in a case decided on 09.07.2014 has held that the Appellate Tribunal has power to extend the stay beyond 365 days, if the delay is not at all attributable to the assessee. The Hon’ble Court agreed with the view of Hon’ble Bombay HC in the case of Navrang Overseas Pvt. Ltd. but dissented with the view taken by Hon’ble Karnataka HC in Ecom Grill Coffee Trading Pvt. Ltd.

The Hon’ble Gujarat Court held :

” it is held that in case and having satisfied that delay in not disposing of the appeal within 365 days (total) from the date of grant of initial stay is not attributable to the appellant / assessee in whose favour stay
has been granted and that the Appellate Tribunal is satisfied that such appellant / assessee has fully cooperated in early disposal of the appeal and/or has not indulged into any delay tactics and/or has not taken any undue advantage, the learned Appellate Tribunal may, by passing a speaking order as observed hereinabove, extend stay even beyond the total period of 365 days from the date of grant of initial stay. However, as observed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Kumar Cotton Mills Pvt. Ltd (supra), it should not be construed that any latitude is given to the Appellate Tribunal to extend the period of stay except on good cause and if the Appellate Tribunal is satisfied that the matter could not be heard and disposed of by reason of the fault of the Appellate Tribunal for the reasons not attributable to the assessee. It also may not be construed that the Appellate Tribunal can extend stay indefinitely. On expiry of every 180 days the concerned assessee / appellant is required to submit an
appropriate application before the learned Appellate Tribunal to extend the stay granted earlier and the Appellate Tribunal may extend the stay for a further period but not beyond 180 days at a stretch and on arriving at the subjective satisfaction, as stated hereinabove, the Appellate Tribunal may extend the stay even beyond 365 days from the date of grant of initial stay and even thereafter. Meaning thereby after 180 days, the
Appellate Tribunal is required to review the situation and consider the application for extension of stay appropriately. Thus, on expiry of maximum period of 180 days the assessee / appellant is required to submit application for extension of stay each time and the Appellate Tribunal is required to consider the individual case and pass a speaking order, as stated hereinabove. By the aforesaid it may also not be understood that the Appellate Tribunal may go on extending the stay indefinitely and may not dispose of the appeals within stipulated time i.e. within 365 days from the date of grant of initial stay and/or at the earliest. All efforts shall be made by the learned Appellate Tribunal to dispose of the appeals at the earliest more particularly in a case where stay is operative against the revenue. The learned Appellate Tribunal and/or registrar of the Appellate Tribunal is required to maintain separate register with respect to the appeals in which stay has been granted fully and/or partially and appeals in which no stay has been granted and the Appellate Tribunal must and shall give priority to the appeals in which stay has been granted, continued and/or extended.”

To read complete text of judgement, click here Guja HC holds ITAT has power to extend stay beyond 365 days

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