Statutory appeal as alternate remedy leads to writ decline, with interim protection, pre-deposit compliance, and merits-based appellate review.

Where an efficacious statutory appeal is available, the writ court may decline to examine the merits and direct the petitioner to the appellate remedy, particularly where the appellate forum can decide both factual and legal issues. The court accepted the petitioner's request to pursue the appeal, protected the appeal from limitation if filed in time, and directed that coercive recovery remain stayed during the appellate process. It also required compliance with pre-deposit conditions, expeditious disposal, and consideration on merits without remand to the Assessing Authority, while leaving all substantive issues open.

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Issues: Whether the writ petition should be entertained despite the availability of a statutory appeal, and whether the petitioner should be relegated to the appellate remedy with protective directions.

Analysis: The dispute related to assessment for an earlier period and the petitioner did not press the writ petition on merits, reserving liberty to pursue the statutory appeal. The Court accepted the stand that the appellate authority was competent to decide both the factual and legal issues, while also ensuring that the appeal, if filed within time, would not fail on limitation and would be heard on merits. The Court further directed compliance with pre-deposit requirements, protection against coercive recovery during the appeal, expeditious disposal, and consideration of the matter without remand to the Assessing Authority.

Conclusion: The writ petition was not entertained on merits and the petitioner was relegated to the statutory appellate remedy with protective and procedural directions.

Final Conclusion: The matter was disposed of by directing the petitioner to pursue the statutory appeal and by preserving interim protections and procedural safeguards, while leaving all substantive issues open.

Ratio Decidendi: Where an efficacious statutory appeal is available and the dispute can be resolved by the appellate forum, the writ court may decline to adjudicate the merits and direct the parties to the alternate remedy with suitable interim protections.

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