SCN Issued Two Days Beyond Section 73(2) Deadline Deemed Invalid as Time Limits Are Mandatory, Not Directory

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....The HC granted ad-interim relief to the petitioner in a case concerning a show cause notice (SCN) issued two days beyond the statutory deadline under Section 73(2). The court held prima facie that the time limits for issuing SCNs are mandatory, not directory, rendering the late notice legally invalid. Relying on precedent from the AP HC in Cotton Corporation, which established that violation of prescribed time periods makes an SCN otiose, the court determined this was a jurisdictional issue where the proper officer lacked authority to issue the delayed notice. The matter was scheduled for further hearing on April 22, 2025.....