TAMANNA EDUCATION TRUST,MEHSANA vs. THE CIT(EXEMPTION), AHMEDABAD

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ITA 935/AHD/2026Status: HeardITAT Ahmedabad11 June 20267 pages
AI SummaryAllowed

What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal set aside the orders of the CIT(E) and restored the applications back to the CIT(E)'s file. The Assessee was granted another opportunity to furnish necessary documents and submissions, and the CIT(E) was directed to adjudicate afresh after providing a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

What were the facts?

The Assessee-Trust's applications for registration under Section 12A and approval under Section 80G were rejected by the CIT(E) primarily due to alleged non-compliance with notices and failure to provide requisite documents. The Assessee contended that it was not granted adequate opportunity to be heard.

What were the issues?

Whether the rejection of the applications for registration and approval was justified due to non-compliance with notices and lack of adequate opportunity to be heard.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 12A,Section 12AB,Section 80G

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, B” BENCH, AHMEDABAD

Per Rahul Chaudhary, Judicial Member:

1.

These are two appeals filed by the same Assessee-Trust against two separate Orders passed by the Commissioner of Income-Tax (Exemption), Ahmedabad [hereinafter referred to as the ‘CIT(E)’] denying registration under Section 12A and under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961 [hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’].

2.

We would first take up ITA No. 935/AHD/2026. By way the said appeal the Assessee has challenged the Order, dated 08/03/2026, passed by Learned CIT(E) whereby the application filed by the Assessee in Form

ITA No.935 and 936/AHD/2026 Assessment Year NA

No. 10AB under Section 12A of the Act was rejected.

3.

The Assessee has raised the following grounds in the present appeal:

“1. The Lo CIT(E) has erred in law and on facts in rejecting the appellant trust's application filed in Form 10AB for renewal of registration u/s 12A of the Income Tax Act 1961, merely on the ground of alleged non-compliance of notice. The action of the Ld. CIT(E) is arbitrary unjustified and bad in law The order passed is therefore liable to be quashed

2.

The Ld. CIT(E) erred in rejecting the application in a mechanical manner without properly examining Form 10AB and the documents furnished on record along with the application The impugned order was passed without granting adequate and meaningful opportunity of being heard and merely on account of non-compliance with a single notice, without allowing further reasonable time, rendering the rejection arbitrary and violative of the principles of natural justice

3.

The Ld CIT(E) further erred in cancelling the provisional registration of the appellant trust while rejecting the application for renewal of registration u/s. 12A of the Act, without bringing any adverse material on record The cancellation has been affected in a mechanical and arbitrary manner and is therefore unjustified and liable to be set aside.

4.

Your appellant trust craves leave to add, alter, and/or to amend all or any of the grounds before the final hearing of the appeal.”

4.

The relevant facts in brief are that the application filed by the Assessee in Form No.10AB for renewal of registration under Section 12A/12AB of the Act was rejected by the Learned CIT(E) on the ground that the Assessee had failed to submit the requisite details/documents to establish the genuineness of the charitable activities and the conduct of operations of the Assessee-trust in consonance with its objects.

5.

Aggrieved by the above rejection order passed by the Learned CIT(E), the grounds reproduced in paragraph 2 above.

6.

The Learned Authorised Representative for the Assessee appearing before us, at the outset, sought another opportunity to make out a case for grant of registration. It was submitted that the Assessee that a reasonable opportunity of being heard was not granted to the Assessee as only one notice of hearing was issued.

7.

Per Contra, the Learned Departmental Representative submitted that the Assessee had neither filed relevant documents/details along with the application nor did the Assessee come forward to file the same in response to notice issued by the Learned CIT(E). Therefore, there was no infirmity in the order passed by the Learned CIT(E).

8.

We have considered the rival contentions and have perused the material available on record. We note that the Learned CIT(E) had rejected the application after affording opportunity to the Assessee on 16/02/2026. The Assessee has contended that the documents/details, though available, could not be filed before the Learned CIT(E) since reasonable opportunity of being heard was not granted to the Assessee. Given the aforesaid, we are of the view that the interest of justice would be met in case another opportunity is granted to the Assessee to furnish the relevant documents/details/submissions for consideration of the Learned CIT(E). Accordingly, we set aside the impugned order and restore the application filed by the Assessee back to the file of the Learned CIT(E) with the directions to adjudicate the said application afresh after taking into consideration the relevant documents/details/submission filed by the Assessee and after granting the Assessee a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

The Assessee is directed to furnish the relevant documents/details/submission before the Learned CIT(E) on receiving notice of hearing. The Assessee is directed to be vigilant and track the proceedings through Income Tax Business Application (ITBA) Portal.

It is clarified that in case the Assessee fails to file documents/submission; or fails to enter appearance before the Learned CIT(E), the Learned CIT(E) would be at liberty to adjudicate the application based upon the material on record.

In terms of above, Ground No.1 to 4 raised by the Assessee are allowed for statistical purposes without returning any findings on merits.

9.

In the result, the present appeal (ITA No. 935/AHD/2026) preferred by the Assessee is allowed for statistical purposes.

10.

We would next take up ITA No. 936/AHD/2026 preferred by the Assessee challenging the Order, dated 08/06/2026, passed by Learned CIT(E) whereby the application filed by the Assessee in Form No. 10AB for approval under Section 80G(5) of the Act was rejected.

11.

The Assessee has raised following grounds of appeal in ITA No.936/AHD/2026 :

“1. The Ld. CIT (E) has dismissed the application in Form 10AB for renewal of registration u/s 80G as non-maintainable merely on the ground that the appellant trust doesn't hold a valid order for registration under section 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 However, your appellant trust is obliged to inform the rejection of renewal of registration u/s 12A itself was unjustified and under challenge before the appellate authority. The impugned order has been passed without proper appreciation of facts and without granting adequate opportunity of being heard.

2.

The Ld. CIT(E) further failed to consider that your appellant trust is engaged in genuine charitable activities and satisfies the unjustified and liable to be set aside.

3.

Your appellant trust craves leave to add, alter, and/or to amend all or any of the grounds before the final hearing of the appeal.”

12.

We have heard both the sides and have perused the material on record.

13.

It is apparent that the application filed by the Assessee for seeking approval under Section 80G(5) of the Act was dismissed by the Learned CIT(E) as the application for registration under Section 12A/12AB of the Act was rejected by the Learned CIT(E). We have, hereinabove, set aside the aforesaid order passed by the Learned CIT(E) and have restored the application back to the file of the Learned CIT(E) for adjudication afresh. Therefore, the basis on which the application filed by the Assessee for registration under Section 80G(5) of the Act was passed does not survive.

14.

In view of the above, we set aside the impugned order passed by Learned CIT(E) and restore the application filed by the Assessee seeking approval under Section 80G(5) of the Act back to the file of the Learned CIT(E) with the directions to adjudicate the said application afresh after taking into consideration the adjudication of application filed by the Assessee for registration under Section 12A of the Act; relevant documents/details/submission filed by the Assessee in support of application seeking registration under Section 80G(5) of the Act and after granting the Assessee a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

a. It is clarified that in case the Assessee fails to file documents/submission before the Learned CIT(E) and/or fails to enter appearance before the Learned CIT(E), the Learned CIT(E) would be at liberty to adjudicate the application based upon the material on record.

b. The Assessee is directed to be vigilant and track the proceedings through Income Tax Business Application (ITBA) Portal.

15.

In terms of above, Ground No.1 to 3 raised by the Assessee are allowed for statistical purposes without returning any findings on merits.

16.

In the result, the present appeal (ITA No. 936/AHD/2026) preferred by the Assessee is allowed for statistical purposes.

17.

In conclusion, both appeals the appeals are allowed for statistical purposes.

The order is pronounced on 11.06.2026 (Dr. B.R.R. Kumar) Judicial Member

िदनांक Dated : 11.06.2026 अहमदाबाद Ahmedabad;H.C. PS आदेशक""ितिलिपअ"ेिषत/Copy of the Order forwarded to : 1. अपीलाथ"/ The Appellant

2.

""यथ"/ The Respondent. 3. संबंिधतआयकरआयु"/ Concerned CIT 4. आयकरआयु"(अपील) / The CIT(A) 5. िवभागीय"ितिनिध, आयकरअपीलीयअिधकरण/ DR, ITAT, 6. गाड"फाईल /Guard file. आदेशानुसार/BY ORDER, उप/सहायकपंजीकार (Dy./Asstt.

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