POOLIYAN ARSAPPAN,CHENNAI vs. ITO, NCW-1(1), CHENNAI

आदेश / O R D E R PER ABY T. VARKEY, JM: This is an appeal preferred by the assessee against the order of the Learned Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)/NFAC, (hereinafter referred to as “the Ld.CIT(A)”), Delhi, dated 29.01.2026 for the Assessment Year (hereinafter referred to as "AY”) 2015-16.

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 2 :: 1.3. On the facts and circumstances of the case, the First Appellate Authority is not justified in sustaining the order of the Ld AO, where the AO has issued notice u/s 148 of the Act dated 05.04.2022. For the A.Y.2015-16, the AO should have issued notice u/s 148 on or before 31.03.2022. Issuance of Notice u/s 148 dated 05.04.2022 is clear violation of provision and barred by limitation and assessment framed on the basis of such invalid notice needs to be quashed. 3. According to the Ld.AR, the AO erred in issuing notice u/s.148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act”) dated 05.04.2022 for reopening the assessment for AY 2015-16 since six (6) years has passed from the end of the relevant assessment year and hence, statutory notice u/s.148 of the Act is bad in law, since it is barred by limitation and for such a proposition, he relied on several case laws, particularly of the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of UoI v. Rajiv Bansal 469 ITR 46 (SC) as well as that of this Tribunal. Since we find that the aforesaid additional ground raised by the assessee is purely on legal issue which if found to be valid goes to the root of the power to reopen the assessment itself, admit the same by relying on the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of National Thermal Power Co. Ltd. v. CIT [1998] 229 ITR 383 (SC).

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 3 :: made time-deposit of Rs. 2 crore in Syndicate Bank, Mylapore Branch and has earned interest income of Rs.3,31,230/- in the relevant year, the AO reopened the assessment, and issued notice u/s.148 of the Act on 05.04.2022 and noted that in response, the assessee neither submitted his ITR on nor reply to his notices calling for explanation regarding the nature and source of the deposit. Hence, AO concluded that assessee had no explanation to offer respond to the deposit/interest and added Rs.2,51,77,110/- out of which Rs. 2 crore Plus Rs.28,90,000/- Plus Rs.12,93,986/- was made as unexplained investment u/s.69A of the Act vide assessment order dated 22.12.2023 which has been confirmed by the Ld.CIT(A) by passing the impugned order dated 29.01.2026. Aggrieved, the assessee is in appeal before this Tribunal.

149 - Time limit for notice. (1) No notice under section 148 shall be issued for the relevant assessment year,—

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 4 :: (a) if three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year, unless the case falls under clause (b); (b) if three years, but not more than ten years, have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year unless the Assessing Officer has in his possession books of account or other documents or evidence which reveal that the income chargeable to tax, represented in the form of— (i) an asset; (ii) expenditure in respect of a transaction or in relation to an event or occasion; or (iii) an entry or entries in the books of account, which has escaped assessment amounts to or is likely to amount to fifty lakh rupees or more: Provided that no notice under section 148 shall be issued at any time in a case for the relevant assessment year beginning on or before 1st day of April, 2021, if a notice under section 148 or section 153A or section 153C could not have been issued at that time on account of being beyond the time limit specified under the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of this section or section 153A or section 153C, as the case may be], as they stood immediately before the commencement of the Finance Act, 2021 Provided further that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply in a case, where a notice under section 153A, or section 153C 153A read with section, is required to be issued in relation to a search initiated under section 132 or books of account, other documents or any assets requisitioned under section 132A, on or before the 31st day of March, 2021: Provided also that for the purposes of computing the period of limitation as per this section, the time or extended time allowed to the assessee, as per show-cause notice issued under clause (b) of section 148A during which the proceeding under section 148A or the period is stayed by an order or injunction of any court, shall be excluded: Provided also that where immediately after the exclusion of the period referred to in the immediately preceding proviso, the period of limitation available to the Assessing Officer for passing an order under clause (d) of section 148A is less than seven days, such remaining period shall be extended to seven days and the period of limitation under this sub-section shall be deemed to be extended accordingly. Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (b) of this sub-section, "asset" shall include immovable property, being land or building or both, shares and securities, loans and advances, deposits in bank account. (2) The provisions of sub-section (1) as to the issue of notice shall be subject to the provisions of section 151 [emphasis given by us] 6. As noted, the time limits for issue of notice under section 148 of the Act were amended as above w.e.f. 01.04.2021. In order to appreciate the effect of proviso to sub-section (1) of section 149 supra, it would be

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 5 :: gainful to reproduce relevant provisions of section 149(1) of the Act as it was prior to the amendment i.e, old regime, which reads as under –

149 - Time limit for notice. (1) No notice under section 148 shall be issued for the relevant assessment year,— (a) if four years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year, unless the case falls under clause (b) or clause (c); (b) if four years, but not more than six years, have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year unless the income chargeable to tax which has escaped assessment amounts to or is likely to amount to one lakh rupees or more for that year; (c) **** Explanation.—In determining income chargeable to tax which has escaped assessment for the purposes of this sub-section, the provisions of Explanation 2 of section 147 shall apply as they apply for the purposes of that section. (2) & (3) **** 7. From a con-joint reading of the provisions of section 149, it is clear that the time limit for issue of notice under section 148 of the Act was revised with effect from 01.04.2021 and the Parliament in order to make the amendment prospective introduced the first proviso to section 149(1). The intent of the first proviso is that the revenue does not get the extended time of ten years where the notices were not issued within a period of six years for AYs prior to 2021-22. The said legislative intent has been clearly explained by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Rajiv Bansal (supra). The relevant observations of the Apex Court is extracted below -

“– 46. The ingredients of the proviso could be broken down for analysis as follows: (i) no notice under section 148 of the new regime can be issued at any

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan

:: 6 :: time for an assessment year beginning on or before 1 April 2021; (ii) if it is barred at the time when the notice is sought to be issued because of the "time limits specified under the provisions of" 149(1)(b) of the old regime. Thus, a notice could be issued under section 148 of the new regime for assessment year 2021-2022 and before only if the time limit for issuance of such notice continued to exist under section 149(1)(b) of the old regime. 47. **** 48. Notices have to be judged according to the law existing on the date the notice is issued. Section 149 of the old regime primarily provided two time limits: (i) four years for all situations and (ii) beyond four years and within six years if the income chargeable to tax which escaped assessment amounted to Rupees one lakh or more. After 1 April 2021, the time limits prescribed under the new regime came into force. The ordinary time limit of four years was reduced to three years. Therefore, in all situations, reassessment notices could be issued under the new regime if not more than three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year. For example, for assessment year 2018-2019, the four year period would have expired on 31 March 2023 under the old regime. However, if the notice is issued after 1 April 2021, the three year time limit prescribed under the new regime will be applicable. The three year time limit will expire on 31 March 2022. 49. The first proviso to Section 149(1)(b) requires the determination of whether the time limit prescribed under section 149(1)(b) of the old regime continues to exist for the assessment year 2021-2022 and before. Resultantly, a notice under Section 148 of the new regime cannot be issued if the periodof six years from the end of the relevant assessment year has expired at the time of issuance of the notice. This also ensures that the new time limit of ten years prescribed under section 149(1)(b) of the new regime applies prospectively. For example, for the assessment year 2012-2013, the ten year period would have expired on 31 March 2023, while the six year period expired on 31 March 2019. Without the proviso to Section 149(1)(b) of the new regime, the Revenue could have had the power to reopen assessments for the year 2012- 2013 if the escaped assessment amounted to Rupees fifty lakhs or more. The proviso limits the retrospective operation of Section 149(1)(b) to protect the interests of the assesses. 50. to 52. *** 53. The position of law which can be derived based on the above discussion may be summarized thus: (i) Section 149(1) of the new regime is not prospective. It also applies to past assessment years; (ii) The time limit of four years is now reduced to three years for all situations. The Revenue can issue notices under section 148 of the new regime only if three years or less have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year; (iii) the proviso to Section 149(1)(b) of the new regime stipulates that the Revenue can issue reassessment notices for past assessment years only if the time limit survives according to Section 149(1)(b) of the old regime, that is, six years from the end of the relevant assessment year; and (iv) all notices issued invoking the time limit under section 149(1)(b) of the old regime will have to be dropped if the income chargeable to tax which has escaped assessment is less than Rupees fifty lakhs.”

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 7 :: 8. From perusal of the legislative intent of the first proviso to section 149(1) of the Act as interpreted by the Hon'ble Supreme Court it is clear that Revenue cannot issue notice under section 148 for assessment years prior to AY 2021-22, if six years from the end of the relevant assessment year has expired on the date of issue of such notice.

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 8 :: Consequently, in the present case, the AO cannot issue a notice under Section 148 of the new regime for AY 2015-16 on 05.04.2022. This legal issue is found to be no longer res-integra. In this regard, it will be gainful to look at the following relevant observations of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Rajeev Bansal (supra) wherein their Lordship’s have made the following observation regarding validity of notice u/s 148 for AY 2015-16, by observing as under: –

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 9 :: retrospective operation of Section 149(1)(b) to protect the interests of the assesses.” [emphasis given by us] 10. Further, it is noted that the Hon'ble Supreme Court while dismissing the SLP filed by Revenue in the case of ACIT vs. Nehal Ashit Shah in SLP (Civil) Diary No(s). 57209/2024, dated 04.04.2025 held that notice issued u/s 148 after six years from the end of assessment year i.e on or after 31.03.2022 does not survive. While holding so, Hon'ble Apex Court noted at para 5 as under:

"5. In this regard, reference could also be made to paragraph 19(e) and (f) in the case of Union of India vs. Rajeev Bansal, Civil Appeal No.8629 of 2024 on 03.10.2024 (2024 SCC ONLINE 754) under which the learned Additional Solicitor General for India has made a concession insofar as the assessment year 2015-16 is concerned." 11. The above view is noted to have been again reiterated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Deepak Steel and Power Ltd. vs. CBDT [2025] 476 ITR 369 (SC) by stating as under;

"5. As the revenue made a concession in the aforesaid decision that is for the assessment year 2015-2016, all notices issued on or after 1st April, 2021 will have to be dropped as they would not fall for completion during the period prescribed under the taxation and other laws (Relaxation and Amendment of certain Provisions Act, 2020). Nothing further is required to be adjudicated in this matter as the notices so far as the present litigation is concerned is dated 25.6.2021". 12. Therefore, in our considered view, the issue of validity of notice u/s.148 issued after 31.03.2022 is no longer res-integra and accordingly we are unable to appreciate the contention of the Ld. DR that the impugned notice issued on 05.04.2022 is valid, which stand is contrary to the consistent stand taken by the Revenue before Hon’ble Supreme Court as noted supra. In view of the foregoing discussion on law and the judicial

ITA No. 915/Chny/2026 (AY 2015-16) Pooliyan Arsappan :: 10 :: precedents, we hold that notice for A.Y. 2015-16 issued on 05.04.2022 u/s 148 of Act is barred by limitation. Hence, consequent actions are held to be non est in eyes of law and impugned notice u/s 148 issued on 05.04.2022 for AY 2015-16, deserves to be quashed, and we order accordingly.

Order pronounced on the 06th day of August 2026, in Chennai.

Sd/- Sd/- (गगन गोयल) (एबी टी. वक�) (ABY T. VARKEY) (GAGAN GOYAL) �या�यक सद�य/JUDICIAL MEMBER लेखा सद�य/ACCOUNTANT MEMBER चे�नई/Chennai, �दनांक/Dated: 06th August, 2026. YS आदेश क� ��त�ल�प अ�े�षत/Copy to: 1. अपीलाथ�/Appellant 2. ��थ�/Respondent 3. आयकरआयु�/CIT, Chennai / Madurai / Salem / Coimbatore. 4. िवभागीय�ितिनिध/DR 5. गाड�फाईल/GF YASHVIR Digitally signed by YASHVIR SINGH SINGH Date: 2026.08.12 16:17:53 +05'30'