Section74
The Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017

Determination of tax, pertaining to the period up to Financial Year 2023-24, not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised by reason of fraud or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts

In force Act 12 of 2017 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 12 of 2017 Ministry Finance Enacted 12 Apr 2017 Cited by 21 provisions Instruments 11

Commencement. 22nd June, 2017 for sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 139, 146 and 164 1st July, 2017 for sections 6 to 9, 11 to 21, 31 to 41, 42 (except proviso to sub-section (9) of S 42), 43 (except proviso to subsection (9) of S 43), 44 to 50, 53 to 138, 140 to 163, 165 to 174.

Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 deals with determination of tax, pertaining to the period up to Financial Year 2023-24, not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised by reason of fraud or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts. 24,] not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised by reason of fraud or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts.--- (1) Where it appears to the proper officer that any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or where input The Act was enacted on 12 Apr 2017.

74. Determination of tax 1[, pertaining to the period up to Financial Year 2023-24,] not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised by reason of fraud or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts.--- (1) Where it appears to the proper officer that any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilised by reason of fraud, or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, he shall serve notice on the person chargeable with tax which has not been so paid or which has been so short paid or to whom the refund has erroneously been made, or who has wrongly availed or utilised input tax credit, requiring him to show cause as to why he should not pay the amount specified in the notice along with interest payable thereon under section 50 and a penalty equivalent to the tax specified in the notice.

(2) The proper officer shall issue the notice under sub-section (1) at least six months prior to the time limit specified in sub-section (10) for issuance of order.

(3) Where a notice has been issued for any period under sub-section (1), the proper officer may serve a statement, containing the details of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised for such periods other than those covered under sub-section (1), on the person chargeable with tax.

(4) The service of statement under sub-section (3) shall be deemed to be service of notice under sub-section (1) of section 73, subject to the condition that the grounds relied upon in the said statement, except the ground of fraud, or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, for periods other than those covered under sub-section (1) are the same as are mentioned in the earlier notice.

(5) The person chargeable with tax may, before service of notice under sub-section (1), pay the amount of tax along with interest payable under section 50 and a penalty equivalent to fifteen per cent. of such tax on the basis of his own ascertainment of such tax or the tax as ascertained by the proper officer and inform the proper officer in writing of such payment.

(6) The proper officer, on receipt of such information, shall not serve any notice under sub-section (1), in respect of the tax so paid or any penalty payable under the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder.

(7) Where the proper officer is of the opinion that the amount paid under sub-section (5) falls short of the amount actually payable, he shall proceed to issue the notice as provided for in sub-section (1) in respect of such amount which falls short of the amount actually payable.

(8) Where any person chargeable with tax under sub-section (1) pays the said tax along with interest payable under section 50 and a penalty equivalent to twenty-five per cent. of such tax within thirty days of issue of the notice, all proceedings in respect of the said notice shall be deemed to be concluded.

(9) The proper officer shall, after considering the representation, if any, made by the person chargeable with tax, determine the amount of tax, interest and penalty due from such person and issue an order.

(10) The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (9) within a period of five years from the due date for furnishing of annual return for the financial year to which the tax not paid or short paid or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised relates to or within five years from the date of erroneous refund.

(11) Where any person served with an order issued under sub-section(9) pays the tax along with interest payable thereon under section 50 and a penalty equivalent to fifty per cent. of such tax within thirty days of communication of the order, all proceedings in respect of the said notice shall be deemed to be concluded.

1[(12) The provisions of this section shall be applicable for determination of tax pertaining to the period up to Financial Year 2023-24.]

Explanation 1.--- For the purposes of section 73 and this section,---

(i) the expression "all proceedings in respect of the said notice" shall not include proceedings under section 132;

(ii) where the notice under the same proceedings is issued to the main person liable to pay tax and some other persons, and such proceedings against the main person have been concluded under section 73 or section 74, the proceedings against all the persons liable to pay penalty under 2[sections 122 and 125] are deemed to be concluded.

3* * * * *

Section 74, The Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (Act 12 of 2017).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Related judgements & precedents

These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.

  1. Savitri Industries v. Chief Commissioner of CT & GST

    High Court 28 Jul 2025 Binding (High Court) WP(C) 17292/2025; Final Order 28.07.2025 (Harish Tandon CJ & M.S. Raman J., Orissa HC DB)

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    DATE VERIFIED Final Order 28.07.2025 (order-1.pdf): Challenge to a reasoned CGST/OGST s.74 demand disallowing ITC (supplier non-filing GSTR-3B / s.16(2)(c)) must ordinarily proceed by statutory appeal under s.107(1) within three months (extendable by one further month under s.107(4)); writ filed beyond that outer limit without explanation, and raising disputed facts, is not entertained — petitioner relegated to s.107 appellate remedy (pre-deposit etc.).

    On this section: s.74 — fraud/suppression-track determination of tax/ITC wrong-availment is appealable on merits/facts under s.107; writ court declines fact-reappreciation.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.

Judgments citing this section

These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.

  1. High Court 06 Feb 2025 KLHC010097732025

    … The brief facts for the disposal of the appeal are as follows: The 1st respondent herein (assessee), approached the writ court by filing the writ petition challenging Ext.P1 show cause notice issued under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017/State Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The assessee is engaged in the business of sale of gold, silver and diamond ornaments. On 25.5.2023, the appellant conducted a search in the premises of the writ petitioner and collected certain data from the software "Gold …

    Read this order on eCourtsIndia

  2. High Court 05 Feb 2025 KLHC010108002025

    … (C).No.2911 of 2025. 2. The brief facts necessary for disposal of this writ appeal are as follows: The respondent herein had challenged Ext.P1 show cause notice that sought to invoke Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act [hereinafter referred to as the "CGST Act"] to demand differential tax, interest and penalty from it on an allegation of suppression of turnover during the financial years 2017-18 to 2023-24. The main ground of challenge against Ext.P1 show cause notice in the writ petition …

    Read this order on eCourtsIndia

  3. High Court 30 Jan 2025 KLHC010012402025

    … The short facts for the disposal of the appeal are as follows: The petitioners are the partners of 'SR Traders' dealing primarily in the trade of scrap. On 4.5.2023, a notice to show cause was issued in terms of Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 ('CGST Act', for short). Immediately thereof, the appellants issued a notice of provisional attachment over immovable properties as well as freezing of Bank accounts. The said action of the appellants were questioned before this Court in WP(C) No.12519/2023, which …

    Read this order on eCourtsIndia

Made under this section, and citing it

11 instruments name this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.

All subordinate legislation

Questions about Section 74

What have the courts held on Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act?

Savitri Industries v. Chief Commissioner of CT & GST (28 Jul 2025) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: s.74 — fraud/suppression-track determination of tax/ITC wrong-availment is appealable on merits/facts under s.107; writ court declines fact-reappreciation.

How do I find court cases under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: CGST Act 74, section 74 CGST Act, section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Savitri Industries v. Chief Commissioner of CT & GST (28 Jul 2025).

What should I read with Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 50 (Interest on delayed payment of tax), section 73 (Determination of tax, pertaining to the period up to Financial Year 2023-24, not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised for any reason other than fraud or any wilful-misstatement or suppression of facts), section 122 (Penalty for certain offences), section 125 (General penalty), and on 1 further provision, so none of them can safely be read on its own. 21 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. 11 instruments name it without being made under it, most recently Circular No. 106/25/2019-GST dated 29.06.2019 (2019), then Circular No. 125/44/2019-GST dated 18.11.2019 (2019).

When was Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act enacted?

Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, cited as CGST Act 74, was enacted on 12 Apr 2017 as Act 12 of 2017. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.