INNUS INFRASTRUCTURE P LTD,GURGAON vs. ACIT, CIRCLE-10(1), DELHI

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ITA 993/DEL/2026Status: DisposedITAT Delhi29 July 2026AY 2017-184 pages

In favour of the assessee: the assessee's appeal was allowed. From the AI summary of this appeal.

AI SummaryAllowed

What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal held that assessment proceedings initiated and consequential orders passed in the name of a non-existent entity are not sustainable in law. Therefore, the assessment order was quashed.

What were the facts?

The assessee company, M/s Innus Infrastructure (P) Ltd., was formed after the amalgamation of M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd. Notices under Section 148 and 143(2) were issued in the name of the non-existent entity, M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd.

What were the issues?

Whether assessment proceedings and notices issued in the name of an amalgamated and non-existent entity are legally valid.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 148,Section 143(2),Section 147,Section 144

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, DELHI BENCH “H’’ : NEW DELHI

Before: SHRI SUDHIR KUMAR & SHRI MANISH AGARWAL

Hearing: 25.06.2026Pronounced: 29.07.2026

PER SUDHIR KUMAR, JM : This appeal by the assessee is emanating from the order of the Ld. Commissioner of

Income Tax (Appeals)/National Faceless Appeal Centre, Delhi [hereinafter referred as

CIT(A)] dated 22.12.2025 pertaining to assessment year 2017-18. Assessee has raised

originally as many as 8 grounds of appeal. During the hearing, Ld. AR has also raised the

following additional grounds: 1. That on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the AO in

issuing the notice dated 23.3.2024 u/s. 148 and notice dated 1.7.2024 u/s.

143(2) of the Act in the name of M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd., which stood

amalgamated with M/s Innus Infrastructure (P) Ltd. Vide NCLT,

Chandigarh order dated 16.6.2023 with appointed date 1.4.2022 and thus M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd. had ceased to exist both on the date of issue of

notice u/s. 148 of the Act and notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act, therefore,

initiation of proceedings and consequential order of assessment u/s. 147

read with section 144 of the Act deserves to be quashed as such. 2. That notice dated 1.7.2024 u/s. 143(2) of the Act issued by the Assessment

Unit Income Tax Department is illegal, invalid and without jurisdiction and

therefore deserve to be quashed as such and consequently impugned order

of assessment dated 31.3.2025 u/s. 147 read with 144 of the Act is without

jurisdiction and deserves to be quashed as such.

2.

Ld. AR stated that the above additional grounds are purely legal in nature and goes to

the root of the matter and in view of the Hon’ble Supreme Court decision in the case of NTPC

vs. CIT reported in 229 ITR 383 may be admitted for its adjudication. Ld. CIT(DR)

opposed the request of the Ld. AR.

3.

After hearing both the sides and perusing the records, we are of the view that the

aforesaid additional grounds goes to the root of the matter, thus, in view of the decision in the

case of NTPC vs. CIT (Supra), we admit the aforesaid additional grounds for its adjudication

first.

Ld. AR has submitted that notice dated 23.3.2024 u/s. 148 of the Act and 4.

notice dated 1.7.2024 u/s. 143(2) of the Act in the name of M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd.

stood amalgamated with M/s Innus Infrastructure (P) Ltd. vide Hon’ble NCLT,

Chandigarh order dated 16.6.2023 with appointed date 1.4.2022 and thus M/s EMU

Realcon (P) Ltd. had ceased to exist both on the date of issue of notice u/s. 148 of the

Act and notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act, therefore, initiation of proceedings and consequential order of assessment u/s. 147 read with section 144 of the Act deserve to

be quashed as such.

5.

Ld. CIT(DR) relied upon the orders of the authorities below.

6.

Considered the rival submissions and material placed on record. We observed

that in this case notice dated 23.3.2024 u/s. 148 of the Act and notice dated 1.7.2024

u/s. 143(2) of the Act in the name of M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd. stood amalgamated

with M/s Innus Infrastructure (P) Ltd. vide NCLT, Chandigarh order dated 16.6.2023

with appointed date 1.4.2022 and thus M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd. had ceased to exist

both on the date of issue of notice u/s. 148 of the Act and notice u/s. 143(2) of the

Act, therefore, initiation of proceedings and consequential order of assessment u/s.

147 read with section 144 of the Act is not sustainable in the eyes of law. We further

note from the order of the assessment dated 31.3.2025 u/s 147 read with section 144

of the Act that M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd. stood merged with M/s Innus Infrastructure

(P) Ltd. vide NCLT, Chandigarh order dated 16.6.2023 with appointed date 1.4.2022.

We further note from the reply dated 12.3.2024 of the assessee which is placed at

(page no. 82-87 of the Paper Book) that it has been duly informed that M/s EMU

Realcon (P) Ltd. stood merged with M/s Innus Infrastructure (P) Ltd.; however,

despite thereof, AO has issued notice dated 23.3.2024 u/s. 148 of the Act (APB-Page

96) and notice dated 1.7.20224 u/s. 143(2) of the Act (pages 99-101 of Paper Book) in

the name of M/s EMU Realcon (P) Ltd., which had ceased to exist both on the date of

issue of notice u/s. 148 of the Act and notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act, therefore,

initiation of proceedings and consequential order of assessment u/s. 147 read with section 144 of the Act. That being the clinching factual position, we hereby quote

PCIT vs. Maruti Suzuki (2019) 416 ITR 613 (SC) that such an assessment framed in a

non-existent entity’s hands is not sustainable in law. The same stands quashed in very

terms therefore. Since we have already quashed the assessment, other pleadings between the

parties on merits stand rendered academic. 7. In the result, the assessee’s appeal is allowed. Order pronounced in the Open Court on 29.07.2026.

Sd/- Sd/- (MANISH AGARWAL) (SUDHIR KUMAR) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER Dated: 29.07.2026 SR BHATANGAR Copy forwarded to: 1. Appellant 2. Assessee 3. CIT 4. CIT(Appeals). 5. DR: ITAT ASSISTANT REGISTRAR ITAT, NEW DELHI

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