A consolidated show cause notice covering multiple financial...

A consolidated show cause notice covering multiple financial years under Section 74 of the CGST Act was held invalid because limitation and determination are linked year-wise to each financial year's annual return, so each period carries its own independent limitation timeline. The Court found that clubbing distinct tax periods in one notice can prejudice year-specific defences and is not justified unless there is a composite, interlinked fraudulent scheme spanning several years forming an indivisible basis for proceedings; no such allegation was made here. The consolidated notices and consequential adjudication orders were quashed, with liberty to issue fresh year-wise notices if otherwise permissible in law.

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