Page No.# 1/5 GAHC010102102024 2026:GAU-AS:10449 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/2722/2024 RAJIB AGARWALA SON OF DHANRAJ AGARWALA, REPRESENTING DM SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED, HAVING THEIR BUSINESS AT GROUND FLOOR, GANPATI ENCLAVE, GS ROAD, ULUBARI, GUWAHATI- 781007, KAMRUP METROPOLITAN, ASSAM. VERSUS THE UNION OF INDIA AND 5 ORS. REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF FINANCE, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, NORTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI- 110001. 2:THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM FINANCE (TAXATION) DEPARTMENT DISPUR GUWAHATI- 781006 ASSAM. 3:THE PRINIPAL COMMISSIONER CENTRAL GOODS AND SERVICE TAX AND CENTRAL EXCISE GST BHAWAN KEDAR ROAD GUWAHATI- 781001. 4:THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER Page No.# 2/5 GST AND CENTRAL EXCISE COMMISSIONERATE GUWAHATI GST BHAWAN KEDAR ROAD MACHKHOWA GUWAHATI- 781001. 5:THE CENTRAL BOARD OF INDIRECT TAXES AND CUSTOMS 1ST FLOOR TOWER NBCC PLAZA 1 SECTOR-5 PUSHP VIHAR NEW DELHI- 110017. 6:THE CHAIRPERSON GOODS AND SERVICE TAX COUNCIL 5TH FLOOR TOWER-II JEEVAN BHARTI BUILDING JANPATH ROAD CONNAUGHT PLACE NEW DELHI- 110001 BEFORE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. D. Saraf, Advocate For the Respondent(s) : Mr. S. C. Keyal, Sr. Advocate : Mr. K. Jain, Advocate · Date on which Judgment was reserved : N/A · Date of Pronouncement of Judgment : 07.08.2026 · Whether the pronouncement is of the Operative Part of the Judgment : Yes · Whether the full Judgment has been Pronounced : N/A Page No.# 3/5 JUDGMENT AND ORDER (ORAL) Heard Mr. D. Saraf, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Petitioner and Mr. S. C. Keyal, the learned Senior counsel assisted by Mr. K. Jain, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondent Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6. None appears on behalf of the Finance and Taxation Department on call. 2. The present writ petition has been filed by the Petitioner being aggrieved by the Order-in-Original dated 13.03.2024 primarily on two grounds. The first ground is as regards the extension of the period for exercise of powers under Section 73 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (for short ‘the Act of 2017’) vide Notification No.9/2023-CT dated 31.03.2023. The second ground is that the Petitioner having already submitted the return on 23.10.2019, the Petitioner should have been granted the benefit of the Input Tax Credit availed/utilized. 3. Mr. D. Saraf, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Petitioner submitted that taking into account the amendment of Section 16 of the Act of 2017 by the Finance Act, 2024 whereby Section 16(5) was inserted, the instant writ petition can be disposed of on the basis of Section 16(5) of the Act of 2017. Page No.# 4/5 4. Taking into account the said submission, this Court finds it relevant to reproduce Sub-Section (5) of Section 16 of the Act of 2017: “16(5). Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), in respect of an invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both pertaining to the Financial Years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, the registered person shall be entitled to take input tax credit in any return under section 39 which is filed up to the thirtieth day of November, 2021.” 5. A perusal of the above quoted Sub-Section would show that notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-Section (4) in respect of an invoice or debit note for supply goods or services or both pertaining to the Financial Years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, the registered person shall be entitled to take Input Tax Credit in any return under Section 39 which is filed up to 30.11.2021. 6. In the instant case, from a perusal of the Order-in-Original dated 13.03.2024, it is apparent that the Petitioner has submitted the return on 23.10.2019 for the Financial Year 2018-19. Under such circumstances, it is therefore the opinion of this Court that the benefit of the ITC claimed amounting Rs.84,58,480/- cannot be denied in view of Section 16(5) of the Act of 2017. In that view of the matter, the impugned Order-in-Original dated 13.03.2024 is Page No.# 5/5 required to be interfered with. 7. Accordingly, the instant writ petition stands disposed of with the following observations and directions: (i) The impugned Order-in-Original dated 13.03.2024 passed by the Assistant Commissioner, Goods and Services Tax, Guwahati Division-I stands set aside and quashed. (ii) Interim order passed earlier stands vacated. (iii) No costs. JUDGE Comparing Assistant Bijoy Saha Digitally signed by Bijoy Saha Date: 2026.08.11 16:28:16 +05'30'