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Gujarat High Court Lawyers in Ahmedabad
| Authored by R & D Law Chambers | Practice led by Ravish Bhatt, Advocate, Bar Council of Gujarat (Enrolment G/504/2008), Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (SRA No. 492 477, non-practising), and ADIT, Chartered Institute of Taxation, London
Published: 10 August 2026 | Last reviewed: 10 August 2026 |
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What matters does the Gujarat High Court hear?
How matters proceed before the Gujarat High Court
The chambers’ Gujarat High Court practice
Writs against administrative action, tenders and public contracts
Income-tax and direct-tax matters before the Gujarat High Court
GST matters before the Gujarat High Court
Customs matters before the Gujarat High Court
Arbitration matters before the Gujarat High Court
Criminal and PMLA matters before the Gujarat High Court
The advocates who appear before the Gujarat High Court
Ravish Bhatt, Dilip Bhatt and other advocates of R & D Law Chambers, enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat, appear before the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad. The practice covers writ petitions under Articles 226 and 227, first and second appeals, and commercial, tax, company and criminal matters before the High Court, with appearances made by the chambers’ advocates in their individual capacity.
What matters does the Gujarat High Court hear?
The High Court of Gujarat, at Ahmedabad, exercises writ jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, appellate jurisdiction over civil and criminal decisions of the district judiciary and tribunals, and supervisory jurisdiction over courts and authorities within the State. This covers challenges to administrative and quasi-judicial orders, statutory appeals, commercial and company matters, and criminal writs and bail.
A writ petition under Article 226 lies against the State and its authorities for enforcement of fundamental rights and for jurisdictional error, breach of natural justice, or action without authority of law. Article 227 gives the Court supervisory control over subordinate courts and tribunals. Alongside this constitutional jurisdiction, the Court hears first and second appeals in civil matters, appeals under statutes such as the Commercial Courts Act and the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, tax and indirect-tax appeals on substantial questions of law, and criminal work including quashing petitions, regular bail and anticipatory bail.
How matters proceed before the Gujarat High Court
Two questions shape how a matter reaches the Gujarat High Court: whether to proceed by writ petition or by statutory appeal, and, where a writ is chosen, whether it is maintainable when an alternative remedy exists. A writ under Article 226 is an extraordinary and discretionary remedy; a statutory appeal is the ordinary route where one is provided.
Writ or statutory appeal
Where a statute provides an appeal, that is ordinarily the route to be followed, and the writ jurisdiction is not a substitute for it. A writ is the appropriate remedy where the challenge goes to the jurisdiction of the authority, to a breach of natural justice, to the vires of a provision, or to the enforcement of a fundamental right.
Alternative remedy is not an absolute bar
The existence of an alternative statutory remedy does not, by itself, bar a writ petition. In Whirlpool Corporation v Registrar of Trade Marks, Mumbai (1998), the Supreme Court held that the alternative-remedy rule does not operate as a bar where the petition seeks enforcement of a fundamental right, where there has been a violation of natural justice, or where the order or proceeding is wholly without jurisdiction or the vires of an Act is challenged. In Godrej Sara Lee Ltd v Excise and Taxation Officer (2023), the Court reiterated that availability of an alternative remedy is not an absolute bar to the maintainability of a writ petition, the rule being one of policy, convenience and discretion rather than of law, and distinguished the maintainability of a petition from its entertainability, which remains within the discretion of the High Court.
Limitation and delay
Article 226 prescribes no fixed period of limitation, but the High Court may decline relief where a petitioner approaches it after unexplained delay or laches. A challenge brought promptly stands on a stronger footing, and courts often use the limitation for the corresponding appeal or suit as a guide.
Interim relief and stay
In a writ petition the High Court may grant interim relief, including a stay of the order or demand under challenge, on the established considerations of a prima facie case, the balance of convenience, and irreparable harm. In tax and revenue matters a stay of recovery pending final disposal is commonly sought, and may be granted on conditions.
The chambers’ Gujarat High Court practice
Advocates of R & D Law Chambers appear before the Gujarat High Court across its constitutional, civil and criminal work: writ petitions under Articles 226 and 227, first and second appeals, service and administrative-law matters, statutory appeals against regulatory authorities, and criminal writs and bail. Specialist tax, GST, customs and arbitration matters before the Court are handled alongside the firm’s dedicated practices in those areas.
Writ petitions under Articles 226 and 227
The advocates appear in writ petitions challenging administrative and quasi-judicial orders, action taken without jurisdiction or in breach of natural justice, and orders passed by State authorities and statutory bodies, including service and administrative-law matters and challenges to show-cause notices and demands raised without authority of law.
Civil appeals and supervisory petitions
Before the High Court, the practice covers first appeals from decrees of the district judiciary, second appeals on a substantial question of law, appeals from the Commercial Courts under the Commercial Courts Act, and petitions invoking the Court’s supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 over subordinate courts and tribunals.
Statutory appeals and regulatory challenges
Where a statute provides an appeal to the High Court, or where an order of a regulatory or statutory authority is open to challenge by writ, the advocates appear in those proceedings. The specialist categories that most often reach the High Court, direct tax, GST, customs and arbitration, are set out below, each linking to the firm’s dedicated practice page.
Writs against administrative action, tenders and public contracts
A large part of High Court writ practice concerns administrative action. The Gujarat High Court reviews decisions of the State, municipal corporations, development authorities and other public bodies under Article 226 for illegality, irrationality, procedural impropriety, mala fides or breach of natural justice. It examines the decision-making process, not the merits of the decision.
Administrative and executive decisions
The advocates appear in writ petitions challenging the action of public authorities, including a municipal corporation such as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, an urban development authority, and other instrumentalities of the State. Typical matters include demolition and assessment notices, the refusal, suspension or cancellation of permissions and licences, and other executive orders. The Court examines whether the authority acted within its powers, followed a fair procedure, and reached a decision open to a reasonable authority.
Tenders and public contracts
The award of a government tender or public contract is subject to judicial review, but on a limited basis. In Tata Cellular v Union of India (1994), the Supreme Court held that the Court reviews the legality and rationality of the decision-making process and not the commercial merits of the decision, and interferes where the process is arbitrary, mala fide, biased, or in breach of Article 14. Challenges in this area include tender conditions, the disqualification of a bidder, and the award of a contract.
Blacklisting and debarment
An order blacklisting or debarring a person from public contracting carries civil consequences and must be preceded by a show-cause notice that specifically proposes blacklisting and a fair opportunity to be heard. In Gorkha Security Services v Government (NCT of Delhi) (2014), the Supreme Court set aside a blacklisting order made without such a notice as contrary to natural justice. A blacklisting order that does not meet this requirement may be challenged by writ.
In practice, matters in this category include a challenge to a municipal corporation order, a bidder’s challenge to disqualification in a tender, a challenge to a blacklisting or debarment order, and a challenge to the refusal or cancellation of a licence or permission.
Income-tax and direct-tax matters before the Gujarat High Court
Direct-tax matters reach the Gujarat High Court in two main ways: by writ petition challenging reassessment action, including an order under Section 148A and a notice under Section 148 of the Income-tax Act, on grounds such as want of jurisdiction, limitation or breach of natural justice; and by appeal under Section 260A against an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on a substantial question of law.
The reassessment procedure was substituted with effect from 1 September 2024, and the litigation on transitional notices was addressed by the Supreme Court in Union of India v Rajeev Bansal (2024). The corresponding provisions now continue under the Income-tax Act, 2025, with proceedings already begun under the 1961 Act preserved by its savings provisions. Writ jurisdiction is fact-specific and is invoked where a notice or order is without jurisdiction or barred by limitation.
Related pages: Income-tax lawyers, Ahmedabad and International Taxation.
GST matters before the Gujarat High Court
In GST, the Gujarat High Court is approached mainly by writ petition: to challenge a show-cause notice or order, including under Section 74 of the CGST Act, for want of jurisdiction or breach of natural justice; and to challenge provisional attachment under Section 83. Appeals from the GST Appellate Tribunal lie to the High Court under Section 117 on a substantial question of law.
Provisional attachment under Section 83 is a last-resort power, as the Supreme Court held in Radha Krishan Industries v State of Himachal Pradesh (2021). With the GST Appellate Tribunal now operational, including its Ahmedabad and Rajkot benches, the ordinary appellate route runs through the Tribunal, while the writ jurisdiction of the High Court remains available for jurisdictional and vires challenges.
Related page: GST lawyers, Ahmedabad.
Customs matters before the Gujarat High Court
Customs matters reach the Gujarat High Court by appeal under Section 130 of the Customs Act against an order of the CESTAT, and by writ petition against jurisdictional or procedural defects. Questions relating to the rate of duty or to the value of goods for assessment do not lie to the High Court; those go directly to the Supreme Court under Section 130E.
The High Court’s customs jurisdiction is therefore confined to questions other than rate and valuation, with the writ remedy available where an order suffers from a jurisdictional or natural-justice defect.
Related page: Customs lawyer, Ahmedabad.
Arbitration matters before the Gujarat High Court
In arbitration, the Gujarat High Court hears applications to set aside an award under Section 34 and appeals under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. In an international commercial arbitration, an application for interim measures under Section 9 lies to the High Court, while the power to appoint an arbitrator under Section 11 lies with the Supreme Court.
Proceedings under Sections 34 and 37 are confined to the statutory grounds, and the Court does not reappraise the merits of the award.
Related page: Arbitration practice.
Criminal and PMLA matters before the Gujarat High Court
On the criminal side, the Gujarat High Court hears petitions to quash FIRs and proceedings under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, applications for anticipatory bail under Section 482 and regular bail under Section 483, and bail in matters under special statutes including the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Section 528 of the BNSS carries forward the inherent-powers jurisdiction formerly in Section 482 of the CrPC, so the established law on quashing continues to apply. Bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act is subject to the conditions in Section 45 of that Act.
Related pages: Criminal lawyer, Ahmedabad and Economic Offences and Fiscal Criminal Defence.
The advocates who appear before the Gujarat High Court
Appearances before the Gujarat High Court are made by the chambers’ advocates in their individual capacity. Ravish Bhatt and Dilip Bhatt, both enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat, appear before the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad, together with other advocates of the chambers.
Ravish Bhatt is an Advocate enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat (Enrolment G/504/2008) and leads the chambers’ practice. He appears before the Gujarat High Court in writ, tax, commercial and arbitration matters. He is also a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (non-practising) and holds the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT) of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, London.
Dilip Bhatt is an Advocate enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat (Enrolment No. G/164/1978). He was enrolled in 1978 and earlier served as a Magistrate, and appears before the Gujarat High Court.
Frequently asked questions
Which advocates at R & D Law Chambers appear before the Gujarat High Court?
Ravish Bhatt and Dilip Bhatt, both enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat, appear before the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad, together with other advocates of the chambers. In keeping with Indian practice, advocates appear in their individual capacity and not in the name of the firm.
How can an income-tax or GST order be challenged before the Gujarat High Court?
An income-tax or GST order may be challenged before the Gujarat High Court by writ petition under Article 226 where it suffers from want of jurisdiction, a breach of natural justice, or limitation, and by statutory appeal on a substantial question of law, under Section 260A of the Income-tax Act or Section 117 of the CGST Act respectively. Whether a writ is maintainable depends on the facts of each case.
Does the Gujarat High Court grant anticipatory bail?
Yes. An application for anticipatory bail may be made to the Court of Session or the High Court under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaced Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Regular bail is dealt with under Sections 480 and 483. Bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act is subject to the conditions in Section 45 of that Act.
Which customs matters are heard by the High Court and which by the Supreme Court?
An appeal against an order of the CESTAT lies to the High Court under Section 130 of the Customs Act, except where the question relates to the rate of duty or the value of goods for assessment, which lies directly to the Supreme Court under Section 130E. The High Court may also be approached by writ where an order suffers from a jurisdictional or procedural defect.
Does the Gujarat High Court hear arbitration matters?
Yes. The High Court hears applications to set aside an arbitral award under Section 34 and appeals under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. In an international commercial arbitration, an application for interim measures under Section 9 lies to the High Court, while the appointment of an arbitrator under Section 11 lies with the Supreme Court.
Are appearances made in the firm’s name or in an advocate’s name?
Under Indian practice, advocates appear before the courts in their individual capacity on their own authorisation, not in the name of a firm. Appearances before the Gujarat High Court in matters handled at R & D Law Chambers are therefore made by its advocates in their own names.
Related services
The following practices at R & D Law Chambers connect with matters that reach the Gujarat High Court:
Commercial Disputes & Litigation: general civil and commercial litigation before the courts, including the Gujarat High Court.
Income-tax Lawyers, Ahmedabad: assessments, reassessments and ITAT appeals that feed into High Court writs and Section 260A appeals.
GST Lawyers, Ahmedabad: GST advisory, adjudication and litigation, including matters that reach the High Court.
Customs Lawyer, Ahmedabad: classification, valuation and CESTAT appeals, with High Court and Supreme Court appeals as applicable.
Arbitration: domestic and institutional arbitration, including Section 34 and Section 37 proceedings before the High Court.
Criminal Lawyer, Ahmedabad: criminal litigation, quashing and bail before the trial courts and the High Court.
Economic Offences & Fiscal Criminal Defence: economic-offence and PMLA matters, including bail and writ proceedings.
Disclaimer
| This page is published by R & D Law Chambers for general informational purposes only. It is not an advertisement, solicitation or inducement of any kind, and no work is solicited through it. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice, and no advocate-client relationship is created by accessing or relying on it. The law stated is general and may not apply to a particular set of facts; each matter must be assessed on its own facts and on current authority. Advocates of R & D Law Chambers are enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat and appear before the courts in their individual capacity. R & D Law Chambers is registered under the Indian Advocates Act. |