(1.) Common question arises in these Writ Petitions and they are disposed of by a common Judgment.
(2.) Petitioners call in question the constitutionality of S.44(10) of the Kerala Value Added Tax Act, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as the Act). Petitioners have been visited with orders imposing penalty under S.44(8) of the Act. It is, at once, necessary to extract the aforesaid provisions:
(3.) Inspections were conducted at the petitioners' godowns which were found to be undeclared within the meaning of S.44(10) of the Act. Recourse was taken to the power under S.44(8) and penalty has been imposed at the maximum rate which is fifty per cent of the value of the goods.