SHRI. NARESH GOVIND VAZE vs. THE INCOME TAX OFFICER WARD IV PALGHAR

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WP/6861/2011HC BombayHCBM01031000201105 October 2011Author: HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE A.A. SAYED,HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE DR. D.Y. CHANDRACHUD5 pages
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What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that the revised intimation furnished to the Petitioner on January 24, 2007, by the Income Tax Officer, Ward-4, Palghar, was without verification of facts and should be set aside. The Court reasoned that the Petitioner, being a Judicial Officer, likely had his TDS correctly deducted and deposited by the State Government. Relying on the principle in Yashpal Sahni vs. Rekha Hajarnavis, the Court noted that the Act provides a machinery for recovering TDS from the deductor, and the Revenue is barred from recovering it from the employee if it was indeed deducted at source. The Court set aside the revised intimation dated January 24, 2007. It directed the Assessing Officer to verify whether tax was actually deducted at source from the Petitioner's salary and, if confirmed, to take further steps in accordance with the law and grant appropriate credit for the tax. The Petition was disposed of with these directions.

What were the facts?

The Petitioner, Shri Naresh Govind Vaze, a former Judicial Officer, filed his return of income for Assessment Year 2006-07, declaring a total income of Rs. 1,79,664 and claiming a refund of Rs. 16,615. He submitted a self-attested Form 16. The Assessing Officer (AO) issued an intimation under Section 143(1) on December 15, 2006, reflecting a reduced income of Rs. 1,42,540 and a tax demand of Rs. 4,339, without giving credit for Rs. 17,500 tax deducted at source (TDS). The Petitioner applied for rectification, highlighting the incorrect income computation and non-consideration of TDS. On the same day, the AO issued a show-cause notice, recomputed income at Rs. 1,44,935, and then issued a rectification order under Section 154 on January 24, 2007, recomputing income at Rs. 1,79,660. Again, no credit for TDS was given, resulting in a net demand of Rs. 8,219. A subsequent notice dated September 11, 2008, stated an outstanding demand of Rs. 12,558.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the revised intimation issued under Section 154 on January 24, 2007, by the Assessing Officer, which did not grant credit for tax deducted at source (TDS) amounting to Rs. 17,500, is valid? Assessee's Contention: The Petitioner argued that the AO erred in not considering the TDS of Rs. 17,500, which was confirmed by a reply to an RTI query and a statement from the Judicial Magistrate. He contended that the demand raised was erroneous due to this omission. The Petitioner relied on the principle laid down in Yashpal Sahni vs. Rekha Hajarnavis, Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, which states that the Revenue is barred from recovering tax from the employee if the tax has been deducted at source and there is a machinery for recovery from the deductor. Revenue's Contention: The judgment does not explicitly record any specific contentions from the Revenue regarding the validity of the rectification order or the non-consideration of TDS. However, the AO's actions of issuing the rectification and raising a demand imply a stance that the credit for TDS was not permissible or properly substantiated at that stage.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 143,Section 154

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
VBC 1 wp6861.11-5.10 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY APPELLATE SIDE WRIT PETITION NO.6861 OF 2011 Shri Naresh Govind Vaze. ..Petitioner. versus The Income Tax Officer, Ward IV & Ors. ..Respondents. ..... Mr.N.G.Vaze, the  Petitioner in person. Mr.S.K.Bhatnagar with Mr.N.R.Prajapati  for the Respondents. Mr.Jamshed D.Mistri, Senior Advocate, Amicus Curiae present. ..... CORAM :  DR.D.Y.CHANDRACHUD &  A. A. SAYED, JJ.  October 5, 2011.

ORAL JUDGMENT (PER DR.D.Y.CHANDRACHUD, J.) : These proceedings have been instituted by the Petitioner in person.   During the course of the hearing, we have requested Mr.Jamshed Mistri, Learned Senior Advocate to assist the Court as amicus curiae.     Counsel has very fairly placed all the facts and circumstances of the case so as to facilitate the Court to dispose of these proceedings.

2.

The Petitioner was a Judicial Officer in the State Judicial Service and was working at Radhanagari in the revenue District of Kolhapur and at Manmad in the revenue District of Nashik in his CNR No : HCBM010310002011 Uploaded on - 22/08/2020 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:22:06

VBC 2 wp6861.11-5.10 capacity as a Civil Judge, Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate, First Class, and as a Judicial Magistrate, First Class respectively. The Petitioner initially filed a return of Income for Assessment Year 2006­07 in which he returned a total income of Rs.1,79,664/­.  The return showed an amount of Rs.17,500/­ as tax paid during the previous year.     The Petitioner claimed a refund of Rs.16,615/­. The Petitioner furnished Form 16, but it was self attested instead of being attested by the employer.   The Assessing Officer issued an intimation under Section 143(1) on 15 December 2006 in which he reflected the total returned income at Rs.1,42,540/­. No credit was given for   tax deducted at source in the amount of Rs.17,500/­ possibly because Form 16 was not attested by the employer.   On this basis,  the  Assessing  Officer  made  a  demand of   tax  in the amount of Rs.4339/­.  The Petitioner submitted an application for rectification    on 24 January 2007 in which  he stated that the income had been wrongly computed at Rs.1,42,540/­ instead of Rs. 1,79,664/­.   The Petitioner also submitted that the tax deducted at source had not been considered as a result of which the demand of Rs.4,339/­ was, according to him, erroneous.   On the very same day, i.e. on 24 January 2007, the Assessing Officer issued a notice Uploaded on - 22/08/2020 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:22:06

VBC 3 wp6861.11-5.10 to   show   cause   to   the   Petitioner   in   which   he   recomputed   the returned   income   at   Rs.1,44,935/­.     On   24   January   2007,   the Assessing Officer issued a rectification under Section 154 by which he recomputed the income at Rs.1,79,660/­.  Again no credit for tax deducted at source was furnished and a total demand was made in the amount of Rs.8,219/­.   The total tax payable was computed at Rs.12,558/­ and it was after giving a credit to the demand of Rs.4,339/­ raised as per the earlier order that a net demand of Rs.8,219/­ was made.  On 11 September 2008, a notice was issued to the Petitioner stating that there was an outstanding of Rs.12,558/­.

3.

The   Petitioner   submitted   a   query   under   the   Right   to Information Act, 2005 in which on 23 April 2008, the Income Tax Officer, TDS­II, Nashik, has stated that the total amount of tax paid for  financial year 2005­06 stands at Rs.17,500/­.   The Petitioner has also annexed to these proceedings a copy of a statement signed by the Judicial Magistrate, First Class, stating that Rs.17,500/­ was the income tax deducted.  On 20 September 2010, the Income Tax Officer,  Ward­4, Palghar has issued a notice to  the Petitioner for non­payment of a total amount of Rs.12,558/­ for Assessment Year Uploaded on - 22/08/2020 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:22:06

VBC 4 wp6861.11-5.10 2006­07. 4. A   perusal   of   the   record   of   the   present   case   would indicate that the Petitioner had furnished Form 16, but as against the requirement of law, the form was self attested.  Be that as it may, it now appears prima facie from the reply received by the Petitioner to his query under the Right to Information Act, 2005 that a total amount of Rs.17,500/­ had been paid towards taxes for financial year   2005­06. In view of the law laid down by the Uploaded on - 22/08/2020 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:22:06

VBC 5 wp6861.11-5.10 State Government. In the facts of the case, therefore, we are of the view   that   the   revised   intimation   that   was   furnished   to   the Petitioner on 24 January 2007 by the Income Tax Officer, Ward­4, Palghar, is without verification of the facts and should be set aside. We   accordingly   set   aside   the   revised   intimation   issued   on   24 January 2007. We direct that the Assessing Officer shall duly verify as to whether as a matter of fact, the tax was deducted at source from the salary of the Petitioner and if that is so found to be correct, to take further steps in accordance with law and grant further  credit   for  tax,  as  the  case  may  be.   The  Petition  shall

accordingly stand disposed of.

4.

The   Court   records   its   appreciation   of   the   valuable assistance rendered by the Learned Amicus Curiae. ( Dr.D.Y.Chandrachud, J.) ( A. A. Sayed, J.) Uploaded on - 22/08/2020 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:22:06 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

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