Exemption Under The STP Scheme Not To Be Denied Because Of Delay In Technical Approval

BRIEF FACTS OF THE CASE

• The Appellant on 25-01-2025 applied for setting up of a Software Technology Park (STP) and also sought exemption¹ for importing telematic infrastructural equipment, as a 100% exportoriented unit.
• The Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee (IMSC) approved the application on 04-04-2005. The approval was subject to the Appellant obtaining a permission from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). The recommendation for obtaining the permission was communicated to the Appellant on 22-06-2005.
• Though the Appellant applied to the CMDA on 10-01-2005 [i.e. even prior to the recommendation of IMSC], the approval was granted only on 21-10-2005 and received by the Appellant on 29-11-2005.