THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX - V vs. VINAY PRINTING PRESS

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TAXAP/72/2008HC GujaratGJHC24024549200821 December 2013Author: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.R. SHAH,HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE R.D.KOTHARI3 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that the Appellate Tribunal was right in confirming the order passed by the CIT(A). The Court applied the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Assistant Commissioner of Income-Tax and Anr vs. Hotel Blue Moon and others (321 ITR 362). Based on this precedent, the Court found that the ITAT had not committed any error in upholding the CIT(A)'s decision. Therefore, the substantial question of law raised in the Tax Appeal was decided against the revenue. The appeal was dismissed. The operative direction was the dismissal of the revenue's appeal.

What were the facts?

The assessee, Vinay Printing Press, filed a return for AY 1994-95, which was processed under Section 143(1)(a) on 30.12.1994. The assessment was reopened by issuing a notice under Section 148 on 14.03.1996. The assessee filed a revised return on 10.04.1996. The Assessing Officer completed the assessment on 17.03.1998 under Section 143(3) r.w.s. 147, determining a total income of Rs. 17,10,502/-. The assessee appealed to the CIT(A), who quashed the assessment order, holding it invalid because the notice under Section 143(2) was issued after the expiry of the time limit prescribed in Section 143(2). The revenue appealed to the ITAT, which dismissed the appeal, upholding the CIT(A)'s order. The revenue then filed a Tax Appeal before the High Court.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the Appellate Tribunal is right in law and on facts in confirming the order passed by the CIT(A) holding that as notice u/s. 143(2) was issued after expiry of 12 months, the resultant order u/s 148 r.w.s 143(1) was bad in law? Assessee's Contention: The judgment does not record any specific contentions made by the assessee before the High Court. However, the assessee's position, as upheld by the CIT(A) and ITAT, was that the assessment order was invalid due to the delayed issuance of the notice under Section 143(2). Revenue's Contention: The revenue argued that the Appellate Tribunal was not right in confirming the CIT(A)'s order, which held the assessment order invalid due to the notice under Section 143(2) being issued after the expiry of the 12-month period. The revenue challenged the finding that this procedural lapse rendered the entire assessment order bad in law.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 143(1)(a),Section 143(2),Section 143(3),Section 147,Section 148

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
O/TAXAP/72/2008 JUDGMENT IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD TAX APPEAL  NO. 72 of 2008 FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:    HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.R. SHAH ­ sd/­ and HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.D.KOTHARI ­ sd/­ ============================================= 1. Whether   Reporters   of   Local   Papers   may   be  allowed to see the judgment ? NO 2. To be referred to the Reporter or not ? NO 3. Whether their Lordships wish to see the fair copy  of the judgment ? NO 4. Whether this case involves a substantial question  of law as to the interpretation of the constitution  of India, 1950 or any order made thereunder ? NO 5. Whether it is to be circulated to the civil judge ? NO ============================================= THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX ­ V....Appellant(s) Versus VINAY PRINTING PRESS....Opponent(s) ============================================= Appearance: MRS MAUNA M BHATT, ADVOCATE for the Appellant(s) No. 1 MRS SWATI SOPARKAR, ADVOCATE for the Opponent(s) No. 1 ============================================= CORAM: HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.R. SHAH and HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.D.KOTHARI  Date : 21/12/2013

ORAL JUDGMENT (PER : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.R. SHAH)

1.0.

Feeling   aggrieved   and   dissatisfied   with   the   impugned judgment and order dated 24.02.2006 passed by the learned Income Tax Appellate   Tribunal   (hereinafter   referred   to   as   the   “ITAT”)   in   ITA No.382/AHD/2001   for   AY   1994­95,   the   revenue   has   preferred   the present Tax Appeal to consider the following substantial question of law. O/TAXAP/72/2008 JUDGMENT “Whether the Appellate Tribunal is right in law and on facts in law in confirming the order passed by the CIT(A) holding that   as   notice   u/s.   143(2)   was   issued  after   expiry   of   12 months, the result order u/s 148 r.w.s 143(1) was bad in law?”

2.0.

That the assessee filed return of income for AY declaring total income of Rs.7,60,780/­. The same was processed under Section 143(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”) on 30.12.1994 on the same total income. Thereafter the assessment was reopened by issuing notice under Section 148 of the Act on 14.3.1996. In reply to the said notice, assessee filed return of income on 10.4.1996 declaring total income at Rs.7,60,780/­ i.e. the said total income as shown   in   the   original   return   of   income,   the   Assessing   Officer   has completed assessment on 17.3.1998 on a total income of Rs.17,10,502/­ under Section 143(3) r/w Section 147 of the Act.

2.1.

Feeling   aggrieved   and   dissatisfied   with   the   order   of assessment, the assessee filed appeal before the learned CIT(A) and the learned CIT(A) vide its order dated 28.11.2000 has held that the order passed under Section 143(3) r/w Section 147 of the Act is invalid and consequently quashed and set aside the order passed by the Assessing Officer. While quashing the assessment order, the learned CIT(A) held that the Assessing Officer has issued notice under Section 143(2) of the Act after expiry of the time limit provided in sub­section (2)  of Section 143 of the Act.

2.2.

Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the order passed by the CIT(A), the revenue preferred appeal before the learned ITAT and by impugned judgment and order, the learned ITAT has dismissed the said appeal.

2.3.

Feeling   aggrieved   and   dissatisfied   with   the   impugned judgment   and   order   passed   by   the   learned   ITAT,   the   revenue   has O/TAXAP/72/2008 JUDGMENT preferred Tax Appeal to consider the following substantial question law: “Whether the Appellate Tribunal is right in law and on facts in law in confirming the order passed by the CIT(A) holding that as notice u/s. 143(2) was issued after expiry of 12 months, the result order u/s 148 r.w.s 143(1) was bad in law?”

3.0.

Heard Ms. Mauna Bhatt, learned advocate for the revenue and Shri B.S. Soparkar, learned advocate for the assessee and perused the impugned judgment and order passed by the learned ITAT as well as learned CIT (A). The short question which is posed for consideration of this Court whether the Appellate Tribunal is right in law and on facts in confirming the order passed by the learned CIT(A) holding that as the notice under Section 143(2) of the Act was issued after a period of 12 months, the resultant order u/s 148 r/w section 143(1) was bad in law. The aforesaid question / issue is now not res intergra in view of the decision   of   the   Hon’ble   Supreme   Court   in   the   case   of  Assistant Applying the ratio laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Hotel Blue Moon(Supra)to the facts of the case on hand, it cannot be said that the learned ITAT has committed any error in confirming the order passed by the learned CIT(A), the question raised in the Tax Appeal is held against the revenue. Hence, present appeal deserve to be dismissed and is accordingly dismissed. ­ (M.R.SHAH, J.) ­ (R.D.KOTHARI, J.) Kaushik

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