A writ petition raising a pure jurisdictional challenge, without...

A writ petition raising a pure jurisdictional challenge, without disputed factual issues, may be entertained despite an available statutory appeal. Where the competence of the GST investigation officer to issue a show-cause notice and adjudicate input tax credit proceedings is questioned, the adjudicating authority must first determine its own jurisdiction. Because the jurisdictional grounds had not been raised before that authority, the High Court did not decide them on merits. It quashed the adjudication and appellate orders, including consequential steps, and remanded the matter for fresh reasoned adjudication after allowing all grounds to be raised, with jurisdiction to be decided first.

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