Delhi HC Imposes ₹50,000 Cost on Trader for Skipping GST Hearing, Citing Portal Notices as Standard Practice

The Delhi High Court has declined to intervene in a ₹50.33 crore GST demand against a trader accused of fraudulently availing inadmissible Input Tax Credit (ITC).

Despite notices being issued via the GST portal, the sole proprietor entirely failed to attend the personal hearing or submit a reply, claiming infrequent access to the portal.

The bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar emphasised that it’s standard practice for all such communications to be posted online and faulted the trader’s non-participation as inexcusable.

The court dismissed the petition and imposed ₹50,000 costs to be deposited with the Delhi High Court Bar Association within two weeks