Ralson Carbon Black Ltd. vs State Of Punjab And Ors. on 29 July, 2003
11. Shri Salil Sagar argued that the judgment of the division A Bench in Oswal Spinning & Weaving Mills Ltd. v. State of Punjab [1996] 103 STC 491 (P&H) cannot be read as laying down a correct law because it did not consider the provision of rule 20 of the Rules which prescribes the time-limit for filing of return and the court may refer the issue to a larger Bench, but having carefully gone through g the judgments of the Supreme Court in Associated Cement Co. Ltd. v. Commercial Tax Officer, Kota [1981] 48 STC 466 and J.K. Synthetics Ltd. v. Commercial Taxes Officer [1994] 94 STC 422 (SC) we are unable to agree with him. It is true that rule 20 prescribes the time- limit within which the assessee is required to file return and violation thereof can be penalised under section 23 of the State Act. However, an order of penalty cannot be passed under section 10(6) and interest cannot be levied on account of delayed filing of return.