Facts
The petitioner challenged two orders dated 30 December 2025 and 21 April 2026.
Source reference: pp. 2–4After a show-cause notice dated 25 August 2025 raised four issues, the petitioner attended a personal hearing on 23 December 2025, filed a reply on one issue, and sought 20 days to respond to the remaining three.
Source reference: pp. 2–4The respondent passed the first impugned order seven days after the hearing without granting that time; the respondent admitted these circumstances before the Court.
Source reference: pp. 2–4The petitioner contended that the orders were made in breach of natural justice.
Source reference: p. 3Issues
Whether the respondent’s failure to allow the petitioner the requested time to respond to three issues before passing the order dated 30 December 2025 denied the petitioner a sufficient opportunity to be heard.
Source reference: pp. 3–4Whether the impugned orders should be set aside and the matters remitted for fresh consideration.
Source reference: p. 4Law Applied
The Court applied the principles of natural justice, particularly the requirement to provide a party a sufficient opportunity to present its response before an adverse order is made.
Source reference: p. 4It exercised its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, under which it may grant appropriate relief against an order made in breach of those principles.
Source reference: p. 2No statute or precedent was cited in the judgment.
Source reference: no citationReasoning
The petitioner had participated in the hearing, responded to one issue, and sought 20 days to answer the other three.
Source reference: pp. 3–4The respondent nevertheless passed the order only seven days later without granting the requested time.
Source reference: pp. 3–4The Court concluded that the petitioner had not been provided a sufficient opportunity to respond and that this violated natural justice.
Source reference: pp. 3–4Holding
The Court held that the impugned orders dated 30 December 2025 and 21 April 2026 were liable to be set aside for want of sufficient opportunity.
It remanded the matters to the respondent; directed the petitioner to file its reply or objections with supporting documents within three weeks of receiving the order; and directed the respondent, after receiving the reply, to give 14 days’ clear notice of a personal hearing and then decide the matters on the merits and in accordance with law.
Source reference: pp. 4–5The writ petitions were disposed of without costs, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.
Source reference: p. 5Original Court PDF
Caterpillar India Engineering Solutions Private LivsJoint Commissioner
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