Section 16(2)(c) of the CGST Act was upheld as a cumulative...

Section 16(2)(c) of the CGST Act was upheld as a cumulative condition for input tax credit, and the purchaser must prove that tax charged on the supply was actually paid to the Government. The Court held that clauses (a) to (d) of Section 16(2) must be read conjointly, that ITC is a statutory concession rather than a vested right, and that non-payment by the supplier cannot be ignored merely because the recipient has the invoice and goods or services. Reading down was refused because the provision is clear, fits the GST scheme, and preserves revenue integrity against fraudulent transactions.

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