WAGAD INFRAPROJECTS PRIVATE LIMITED vs. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court, in light of the consent of the parties and the fact that the controversy was squarely covered by its previous judgment in 'M/s. S.M. Industries vs. Union of India & Anr.' (decided on 20.03.2025), disposed of the writ petitions. The Court held that the notices issued by the Jurisdictional Assessing Officers were illegal and quashed them. The respondents were granted liberty to proceed via the mode of Faceless Assessment in terms of the judgment rendered in 'Sharda Devi Chhajer' (supra). The period during which the petitions remained pending before the Court was to be excluded for the Faceless Assessing Officer proceedings. Any issues of limitation were to be decided by the Assessing Officer as per 'Rajeev Bansal' (supra). Any other unadjudicated issues were left open for parties to agitate again before the Court. Further proceedings under the Faceless Assessment Scheme were to be conducted strictly in accordance with law.
What were the facts?
The petitioner, Wagad Infraprojects Private Limited, filed three writ petitions challenging orders and notices issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Circle-1, Udaipur. These actions pertained to the reopening of assessments. The petitions were connected and heard together. The core of the dispute revolved around the jurisdiction of the Faceless Assessing Officer versus the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer in the context of the notices and orders issued. The parties agreed that the controversy was covered by a previous judgment of the same court in 'M/s. S.M. Industries vs. Union of India & Anr.' decided on March 20, 2025.
What were the issues?
1. Whether the impugned order under Section 148A(d) and notice under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, issued on 29.07.2022, are illegal and liable to be quashed and set aside? (Mixed question of law and fact, concerning Sections 148A and 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961). 2. Whether the proceedings initiated by way of notice dated 22.05.2022 for reopening of assessment are illegal and liable to be quashed and set aside, with respondents being restrained from initiating proceedings under Sections 147 to 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the relevant Assessment Year 2013-14? (Mixed question of law and fact, concerning Sections 147 to 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961). Assessee's Contentions: The petitioner sought to quash the impugned order and notices, arguing that the proceedings initiated were illegal. The primary contention, as agreed by both parties, was limited to the issue of the jurisdiction of the Faceless Assessing Officer vis-à-vis the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer, with other issues to be kept open. Revenue's Contentions: The revenue did not record specific arguments beyond agreeing to the limited issue concerning the Faceless Assessing Officer's jurisdiction and the applicability of the precedent case.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
Order 29/07/2025
With the consent of the parties that the controversy involved in the present matters is squarely covered with the order passed by this Court in the case of ‘M/s. S.M. Industries vs. Union of India & Anr.’ (D.B. Civil Writ No.3270/2023 decided on (Uploaded on 30/07/2025 at 04:38:18 PM) (Downloaded on 27/10/2026 at 11:20:58 PM)
[2025:RJ-JD:33577-DB] (3 of 4) [CW-19149/2024] 20.03.2025) along with other connected writ petitions; the order dated 20.03.2025 is reproduced hereunder :- “1. Since the instant petitions involves an identical controversy, therefore, the same are being decided by this common judgment, while taking the prayer clauses, facts and submission from the above-numbered D.B. Civil Writ Petition No.16678/2022, while treating the same as a lead case.
The prayer clauses read as under: “It is, therefore, respectfully prayed that this petition for writ preferred by the petitioner may kindly be allowed in toto and the following reliefs may kindly be granted in favour of the petitioner:- A. By an appropriate writ, order or direction, the impugned order under Section 148 A Sub Clause (d) of Income Tax Act, 1961 passed on 29.07.2022 (Annexure-12) and impugned notice issued under Section 148 on 29.07.2022 (Annexure-13) may kindly be declared illegal and be quashed and set aside. B. By an appropriate writ, order or direction, the proceedings initiated by way of notice dated 22.05.2022 (Annexure-7) for reopening of assessment, reassessment or recomputation may kindly be declared illegal and be quashed and set aside and the respondents may kindly be perpetually restrained to initiate proceedings under Section 147 to 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the relevant Assessment Year 2013-14 questioning the same. Any other appropriate order or direction, which this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper may kindly be passed in favor of the petitioner.”
Learned counsel for both the parties, present in the Court, at the time of reserving of the judgment, submitted that they are raising a limited issue of Faceless Assessing Officer viz-a-viz (Uploaded on 30/07/2025 at 04:38:18 PM) (Downloaded on 27/10/2026 at 11:20:58 PM)
[2025:RJ-JD:33577-DB] (4 of 4) [CW-19149/2024] Jurisdictional Assessing Officer and seek to keep rest of the issues open for future adjudication.
This Court observes that the controversy in the present batch of writ petitions concerns the same issue of law as has already been settled by this Court in the case of Sharda Devi Chhajer (supra) regarding the dispute vis-a-vis jurisdiction of Faceless and Jurisdictional Assessing Authority, and therefore, the same settled proposition of law shall govern the field in the instant case as well.
This Court, on the basis of the joint prayers being made and the consensus being arrived at between counsel for the respective parties, observes that all the petitions, which were reserved and are now being disposed of, while treating the Jurisdictional Assessing Officers’ notices illegal. The same are quashed with a liberty to the respondents to proceed via mode of Faceless Assessment in terms of the judgment rendered by this Court in Sharda Devi Chhajer (supra).
The limitation for the period when the petitions have remained pending before this Court shall be excluded for the Faceless Assessing Officer proceedings. In case, there is any issue of Limitation, the Assessing Officer shall be free to decide it in terms of Rajeev Bansal (supra). In case any other issue remains unadjudicated, the parties shall be free to agitate it again before this Court. It is also made clear that any further proceedings under the Faceless Assessment Scheme shall be done strictly in accordance with law.”
In light of the aforequoted judgment, these writ petitions are disposed of in the same terms. (SANDEEP TANEJA), J (DR. PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI),J 126-127-128 -Ravi Khandelwal Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) (Uploaded on 30/07/2025 at 04:38:18 PM) (Downloaded on 27/10/2026 at 11:20:58 PM)
More judgments on Section 148A
- Rajesh Kumar Khandelwal, Jaipur vs ITO Ward 5(1), JaipurITA 21/JPR/2026[2016-17]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2016-17
- Kamleshkumar Somalal Bhatt, Himatnagar vs Income Tax Ofifcer, Ward 1, HimatnagarITA 2130/AHD/2026[2019-20]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Haresh Sharma, Ahmedabad vs ITO, Ward 5(3)(1), AhmedabadITA 2124/AHD/2026[2019-20]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Shree Bandharda Seva Sahkari Mandli Ltd… vs Income Tax Officer Ward -4, JunagadhITA 881/RJT/2025[2019-20]Status: Disposed19 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Nitinbhai Nanalal Badani, Rajkot vs CIT (Appeals), National Faceless Appeal…ITA 658/RJT/2025[2020-21]Status: Disposed19 Oct 2026AY 2020-21
Recent GST High Court judgments
Search GST case law →- M/S Kalra Traders vs. Union Of INDIAUttarakhand · 26 Oct 2026
- Ms Isoft vs. The Commissioner State TaxUttarakhand · 26 Oct 2026
- M/S Sita Enterprises vs. Office Of The CommissionerUttarakhand · 26 Oct 2026
- Capri Global Capital LTD Through Represented By Its Law Officer Mr. Varun Kaljoria vs. The State Of Madhya Pradesh Through Principal SecretaryMadhya Pradesh · 26 Oct 2026
- Sri Tatiparthy Venkata Swamy vs. The State Of Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh · 25 Oct 2026