KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the tax authorities to file comments on a constitutional petition filed by M/s New Light House (Private) Limited, seeking unblocking of its NTN and user ID.
The tax number was blocked by officials of deputy collector (recovery) Appraisement-East on May 8,2016. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhter, was hearing the petition.
During the hearing, the court was informed that counsel of the customs department to be on general adjournment, therefore, the court may adjourn the hearing. After arguments, the court adjourned the matter for August 8, 2017.
Earlier, petitioner’s counsel stated that petitioner in the normal course of business imported and cleared consignments of welding electrodes at the declared value in terms of section 79 and 80 of the Customs Act 1969.
According to the petitioner, in the month of August 2011, a show cause notice was issued on the basis of audit report of PCA recovery of Rs 7,311,923 and on alleged charges of mis-declaration on the ground the above goods declaration were not cleared on the basis of valuation ruling dated 10/07/2018 and 15/07/2009 ,petitioner submitted its reply to show cause notice and hearing the adjudication authority had upholding the charges of mis-declaration and imposed the penalty of 1,00,000 on the appellant.
Counsel argued that petitioner had challenged the order before the SHC which is sub-judice, however, respondents, ignoring this aspect of the case mala fide on the basis of above order of the tribunal blocked the NTN and user ID of the petitioner is Weboc system on dated May 08,2016 without issuing any show cause notice to the petitioner.
Citing Secretary Revenue Division and Hina Gul Deputy Collector (Recovery) Appraisement-East as respondents. Petitioner pleaded the SHC may declare that the action of the respondents for blocking the consignments subject matter of goods declaration is illegal, mala fide, unjustified and unlawful. He pleaded the SHC may set aside impugned demand notice and restrain the respondents from taking any coercive action against the petitioner. Petitioner further pleaded the SHC may de-blocking NTN and user ID.
