submission disregards the fact that the levy, the collection and retention of VAT by the State of Haryana, is without authority of law. The levy and collection of tax, pursuant to assessment orders dated 22.2.2006, 26.3.2008 and 22.2.2006 (Annexures P-3A, P-3B and P- 3C) not being relatable to a statutory power emanating from a Statute and, therefore, violative of Article 264 of the Constitution of India and a nullity. The mere fact that orders have been passed levying and collecting tax would not confer legitimacy, on the acts of the State of Haryana in seeking to retain the amount of tax collected and retained, without authority of law. The State of Haryana would have been justified in raising such a plea if the judgment in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited ( supra) had been held to be prospective. A perusal of the aforesaid judgment reveals that the declaration of law is not prospective and like all general declarations of law, would be deemed to apply from the inception of the statute. The judgment having clearly held that VAT cannot be collected on activation of SIM cards, the assessment orders levying and collecting VAT, are from their inception a nullity and, therefore, the levy and collection of VAT is without authority of law and violative of Article 265 of the Constitution of India.
