Form FC-4 filing and bank account delay issues examined, with penalty indicated for delayed account opening.

The petition was treated as covered by an earlier Delhi HC order of 16 January 2023, and the Court directed respondents' counsel to examine that order and obtain instructions before further consideration. It also observed that the SBI account at Sansad Marg, New Delhi could not have been opened on 31 March 2020 because the relevant amendment to the Act came only in September 2020. On the issue of delay in opening the bank account between July and October 2020, the Court indicated that penalty would be payable by the petitioner. The matter was therefore listed again for further consideration.

---

---

Issues: Whether the petitioner's annual return for 2019-20 in Form FC-4 could be filed on the respondent's portal in light of the earlier order relied upon by the parties, and whether delay in opening the SBI bank account between July and October 2020 attracted penalty.

Analysis: The matter was taken up in hybrid mode. The Court noted that the petition would be covered by an earlier order of 16 January 2023 and directed counsel for the respondents to examine that order and revert with instructions. It was also observed that the SBI account at Sansad Marg, New Delhi could not have been opened on 31 March 2020 because the amendment in the Act came only in September 2020. On the question of delay in opening the bank account between July and October 2020, the Court indicated that penalty would be payable by the petitioner.

Outcome: The matter was listed for further consideration and instructions were sought from the respondents.

---