RANJEET BIRANI S/O RATAN LAL BIRANI vs. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX

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CW/4279/2026HC Rajasthan2026:RJ-JP:10359-DB12 March 2026Bench: PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI, VINIT KUMAR MATHUR3 pages
AI SummaryRemanded

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that since the narrow compass of the issue was directly being adjudicated by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the litigation pertaining to Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, it would be appropriate to dispose of the present writ petitions by extending the same protection as granted by the Hon'ble Apex Court. Consequently, the Court directed that the Adjudicating Authority shall not proceed with any proceedings under Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, against the petitioners, including consequential orders, for as long as the interim protection granted by the Hon'ble Apex Court continues. The outcome of SLP No. 31711/2025 (tagged with SLP(C) No. 33392/2025) was declared to govern the outcome of the present petitions. The writ petitions were disposed of in terms of the order passed in the case of Pramod Jain, with the observations and directions applying mutatis mutandis.

What were the facts?

The petitioner, Ranjeet Birani, filed a Civil Writ Petition before the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan, Bench at Jaipur. The petition challenged an action by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Circle-4, Jaipur. The procedural history involves a co-ordinate bench of the same High Court in the case of 'Pramod Jain vs. Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax' (D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 18359/2025), decided on 27.01.2026. This earlier order referred to an order passed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in 'Siddharth Totuka Vs. Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax Central Circle' (SLP No. 31711/2025) on 08.12.2025, which had stayed proceedings concerning Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the proceedings before the Adjudicating Authority, pertaining to Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, including the impugned order, should be stayed in light of the Hon'ble Apex Court's order in Siddharth Totuka's case. Assessee's Contention: The petitioner argued that the Hon'ble Apex Court had stayed proceedings concerning Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and therefore, similar protection should be extended to the present petitions. The petitioner further submitted that the outcome of these petitions would be governed by the outcome of the SLP before the Apex Court. Revenue's Contention: The respondent fairly submitted that the order passed by the Hon'ble Apex Court would be duly followed and that the petitions, if disposed of, should be made subject to the final outcome of the aforesaid SLP.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 153C

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

[2026:RJ-JP:10359-DB] HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4279/2026 Ranjeet Birani S/o Ratan Lal Birani, Aged About 63 Years, R/o B- 89, Shubham, Ganesh Marg, Bapu Nagar, Jaipur. ----Petitioner Versus Assistant Commissioner Of Income Tax, Central Circle-4, Jaipur Having Its Address At 4Th Floor, Jeevan Nidhi-2, LIC Building, Ambedkar Circle, Jaipur. ----Respondent For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Siddharth Ranka with Ms. Satwika Jha. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Siddharth Bapna with Ms. Tanushka Saxena HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINIT KUMAR MATHUR Order 12/03/2026 1. Issue notice to the respondent. 2. Mr. Siddharth Bapna, learned counsel, accepts notice on behalf of respondent. 3. The Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of “Pramod Jain vs. Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax” (D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 18359/2025) alongwith other connected cases decided on 27.01.2026, had directed as under: “2. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the controversy involved in the present matters is under consideration before the Hon’ble Apex Court in Siddharth Totuka Vs.Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax Central Circle in SLP No. 31711/2025, in which the following order was passed on 08.12.2025: (Uploaded on 12/03/2026 at 03:25:51 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 10:21:33 AM)

[2026:RJ-JP:10359-DB] (2 of 3) [CW-4279/2026] “1.Issue notice. 2.Dasti service, in addition, is permitted. 3.Tag with SLP(C) No. 33392 of 2025. 4.In the meantime, the proceedings before the Adjudicating Authority shall remain stayed insofar as Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is concerned including the order impugned passed by the High Court.” 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the proceedings before the Adjudicating Authority, insofar as they pertain to Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, including the impugned order under consideration before this Hon’ble Court in the present case, have been stayed by the Hon’ble Apex Court. It is, therefore, prayed that similar protection be extended in the present petitions as well. Learned counsel further fairly submits that the outcome of these petitions shall be governed by the outcome of the said SLP and, thus, subject to such outcome, the petitions may be disposed of while extending the aforesaid protection. 4. Learned counsel for the respondents fairly submits that the order passed by the Hon’ble Apex Court shall be duly followed. He further submits that in the event these petitions are disposed of, the same may be made subject to the final outcome of the aforesaid SLP. 5. Having considered the submissions made at the Bar, this Court is of the clear opinion that once the narrow compass of the issue is being directly adjudicated by the Hon’ble Apex Court in pursuance of the litigation undergone by the parties pertaining to Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, it would be appropriate to dispose of the present writ petitions by extending the same protection as granted by the Hon’ble Apex Court 6. Accordingly, it is directed that the Adjudicating Authority shall not proceed with any (Uploaded on 12/03/2026 at 03:25:51 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 10:21:33 AM)

[2026:RJ-JP:10359-DB] (3 of 3) [CW-4279/2026] proceedings under Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 against the petitioners, as also consequential order(s), if any including giving effect to any impugned orders, for so long as the interim protection granted by the Hon’ble Apex Court continues to operate. The outcome of SLP No. 31711/2025 (tagged with SLP(C) No. 33392/2025) shall govern the outcome of the present petitions. 7. The instant writ petitions are disposed of accordingly.” 4. Considering the nature of controversy raised in the present petition which is identical to the aforesaid cases, both the learned counsel are ad idem that the present petition be also disposed of accordingly. 5. Keeping in view the above, the present writ petition is disposed of in terms of order dated 27.01.2026 passed in the case of Pramod Jain (supra). The observations/directions therein shall apply mutatis mutandis to the present case. 6. All pending applications also stand disposed of. (VINIT KUMAR MATHUR),J (PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI),J 1-Nitin/Shahenshah/- Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) (Uploaded on 12/03/2026 at 03:25:51 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 10:21:33 AM)

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