COURT: | ITAT Ahmedabad |
CORAM: | Mahavir Prasad (JM), PP Bhatt (President), Pramod Kumar (AM) |
SECTION(S): | 254(1) |
GENRE: | Domestic Tax |
CATCH WORDS: | Expeditious hearing, Special Bench, Third Member |
COUNSEL: | Tushar P. Hemani |
DATE: | December 26, 2018 (Date of pronouncement) |
DATE: | December 29, 2018 (Date of publication) |
AY: | 2007-08, 2008-09 |
FILE: | Click here to view full post with file download link |
CITATION: | |
Guidelines specified to ensure expeditious hearing of cases referred to Special Benches and Third Members: Inordinate delay in fixation of hearing of Special Bench & Third Member cases is inappropriate and contrary to the scheme of the Act. It also reduces the efficacy and utility of the mechanism to deal with important matters |
We share the anguish of the learned counsel. The sequence of events, as set out above, does clearly shows inordinate delay in the special bench case being taken up. It appears that despite specific requisition by the learned Judicial Member and for the reasons best known to the persons concerned, the Registry has not taken care to do the necessary follow up and ensure that the matter is listed for hearing expeditiously, so as to ensure timely disposal of appeals referred to the special benches. The importance of timely disposal of special bench cases and Third Member cases can hardly be over-emphasised. These cases deserve to be taken up on top priority basis. We are of the view that such an inordinate delay in fixation of hearing of special benches cases, particularly when stay is granted, is not only inappropriate and contrary to the scheme of the Act, but it does reduce the efficacy and utility of the mechanism of special benches to deal with important matters on which there is divergence of views by the division benches or which are otherwise of wider ramifications and national importance. Similarly, inordinate delays in disposal of Third Member cases, by itself, makes the expression of dissenting opinion less effective and useful. We, therefore, deem it fit and proper to formulate the following guidelines with a view to ensure the expeditious hearing of cases referred to Special Benches and Third Members
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