Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited v. the State of Maharashtra Thr. Government Pleader and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Municipal cess on petroleum products; Rule 25 Cess Rules (Rules of 1996) — assessment within three years / reasonable time; delayed adjudication of Form-H show cause notice (~10 years) rendering assessment liable to quash; best judgment assessment Form-I; Demand Notice Form-J; NMMC Cess Officer vs HPCL refinery-to-Vashi Terminal pipeline movements; FY 2010-11 and allied periods; Article 226 mandamus; appeal under Section 406 / Section 406(8) MMC Act (alternative prayer, not pressed); Siemens Limited followed; pending review petition no bar after rejection; Coventry Estates relied on; UPL, ATA Freight, Parle International, Bombay Dyeing, Sushitex, Bhagwandas Tolani, Reliance Industries, Sanghvi Reconditioners, Super Label referred within quoted extracts; Bombay High Court writ petitions 2024 decided 22 April 2026.
What did the court decide?
Rule made absolute in terms of prayer clauses (a) and (b): the assessment orders held barred by limitation under Rule 25 of the Cess Rules and passed after about ten years from the Form-H notices. All three Writ Petitions (Nos. 637, 638 and 639 of 2024) allowed in similar terms following Siemens; no costs.