Section 69 : Tax collected but not deposited with the Central or a State Government – Demands And Recovery

Tax collected but not deposited with the Central or a State Government – Demands And Recovery

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any order or direction of any Appellate Authority or Tribunal or Court or in any other provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder or any other law, every person who has collected from any other person any amount as representing the tax under this Act, and has not paid the said amount to the Central or a State Government, shall forthwith deposit the said amount to the credit of the Central or a State Government, regardless of whether the supplies in respect of which such amount was collected are taxable or not.

(2) Where any amount is required to be paid to the credit of the Central or a State Government under sub-section (1), and which has not been so paid, the proper officer may serve on the person liable to pay such amount a notice requiring him to show cause why the said amount as specified in the notice, should not be paid by him to the credit of the Central or a State Government and why a penalty equivalent to the amount specified in the notice should not be imposed on him under the provisions of this Act.

(3) The proper officer shall, after considering the representation, if any, made by the person on whom the notice is served under sub-section (2), determine the amount due from such person and thereupon such person shall pay the amount so determined.

(4) The person referred to in sub-section (1) shall, in addition to paying the amount referred to in sub-section (1) or (3), as the case may be, also be liable to pay interest thereon at the rate specified under section 45 from the date such amount was collected by him to the date such amount is paid by him to the credit of the Central or a State Government.

(5) An opportunity for personal hearing shall be granted where a request is received in writing from the person to whom the notice was issued to show cause.

(6) The proper officer shall issue an order within one year from the date of issue of the notice.

(7) Where the issuance of order is stayed by an order of the Court or Tribunal, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the period of one year.

(8) The proper officer, in his order, shall set out the relevant facts and the basis of his decision.

(9) The amount paid to the credit of the Central Government or a State Government under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) shall be adjusted against the tax payable, if any by the person in relation to the supplies referred to in sub-section (1).

(10) Where any surplus is left after the adjustment under sub-section (9) the amount of such surplus shall either be credited to the Fund or, as the case may be, refunded to the person who has borne the incidence of such amount.

(11) The person who has borne the incidence of the amount referred to in subsection (10) may apply for the refund of the same in accordance with the provisions of section 48 within six months of the date of issue of public notice .