GST personal hearings and input tax credit mismatches: adverse demands require a hearing and verification of underlying records.
Section 75(4) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act requires a personal hearing when an adverse decision is contemplated; notices and written replies do not replace that right. An appellate review that merely adopts departmental figures without independently examining relevant records does not cure the breach. A return mismatch alone cannot sustain a demand based on alleged excess input tax credit. Section 155 places the burden of proving credit on the claimant, and the relevant books, invoices, returns and reverse-charge records require verification. Section 44 and Rule 80 do not provide for online alteration of a filed annual return; a bona fide error requires factual verification. Section 113(1) permits fresh adjudication after consideration of additional evidence.
Issues: (i) Whether denial of a personal hearing before an adverse tax demand breached Section 75(4) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and was cured in first appeal; (ii) Whether the alleged excess input tax credit could be sustained on the existing record without verification of returns, books of account, and reconciliation.
Issue (i): Whether denial of a personal hearing before an adverse tax demand breached Section 75(4) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and was cured in first appeal.
Analysis: Section 75(4) mandates an opportunity of personal hearing where an adverse decision is contemplated. Receipt of notices and submission of a written reply do not substitute this separate statutory right. The first appellate order adopted the departmental figures without independently addressing the GSTR-9C, books of account, or return reconciliation; it therefore did not cure the breach of principles of natural justice.
Conclusion: Denial of a personal hearing breached Section 75(4) and was not cured in first appeal. This issue was decided in favour of the assessee.
Issue (ii): Whether the alleged excess input tax credit could be sustained on the existing record without verification of returns, books of account, and reconciliation.
Analysis: The finding of excess credit proceeded on an unverified assumption that reverse-charge credit of Rs. 5,24,259 was included in Table 4(A)(5) of GSTR-3B. The relevant monthly returns had not been verified, the comparison with GSTR-9 disclosed a different mismatch, the alleged admission of excess credit was unsupported by the record, and the books and reconciliation explaining a possible error in GSTR-9 were not examined. Section 155 places the burden of proving input tax credit on the claimant, requiring production and verification of books, invoices, returns, and relevant reverse-charge records. Section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and Rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules do not provide for online alteration of a filed annual return; a bona fide error in the return consequently required factual verification rather than outright rejection. Section 113(1) authorises fresh adjudication after additional evidence is considered.
Conclusion: The existing finding of excess input tax credit and the consequential demand were unsustainable; whether any excess credit was actually availed was left undecided for fresh adjudication. This issue was decided in favour of the assessee.
Final Conclusion: The orders sustaining the disputed tax, interest, and penalty were annulled, and the original authority must determine the matter afresh within the confines of the show-cause notice after granting a meaningful hearing and verifying the relevant records.
Ratio Decidendi: Where an adverse GST demand rests on a contested mismatch between returns, the taxpayer must receive a mandatory personal hearing and a meaningful opportunity to establish input tax credit through underlying records; a return mismatch alone cannot sustain the demand.