GONG CHENG COMMUNICATIONS PVT LTD vs. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOOME TAX & ORS.
What did the High Court hold?
The Delhi High Court disposed of all the captioned writ petitions as withdrawn. The Court granted the petitioners liberty to file fresh writ petitions on or before May 24, 2026. The Court reasoned that the request for withdrawal was reasonable, especially given the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings on the limitation issue, the retrospective amendment by the Finance Act, 2026, and the existence of interim orders in favor of the petitioners. The interim orders granted in each petitioner's case were extended to continue up to May 31, 2026. The Court also provided that if any petitioner faced unavoidable circumstances preventing the filing of a fresh petition, they could move an appropriate application for extension of interim orders or other relief. No specific decision was made on the merits of the original grounds raised in the writ petitions.
What were the facts?
The petitioners, various private limited companies including Wanshan Mobiles Pvt Ltd and Nokia Solutions and Networks India Private Limited, filed writ petitions before the Delhi High Court. These petitions challenged orders or actions by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax and other revenue authorities. The core issue revolved around the interpretation of limitation periods under Section 144C read with Section 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. A divergence of opinion on this matter had led to a reference to a Larger Bench of the Supreme Court. Subsequently, the Finance Act, 2026, introduced a retrospective amendment (Section 8) to the Act of 1961, which altered the application of the limitation under Section 144C.
What were the issues?
1. Whether the retrospective amendment brought by Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026, adversely affects the accrued rights of the assessees concerning the limitation period under Section 144C read with Section 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961? Assessee's Contention: The petitioners argued that the retrospective amendment by Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026, has adversely affected their accrued rights. They sought to withdraw their present writ petitions to file fresh petitions challenging this retrospective amendment, along with other grounds already raised. They also requested the continuation of existing interim orders for a period of four weeks to facilitate the filing of new petitions. Revenue's Contention: The judgment does not record any specific contentions from the revenue regarding the issues raised by the petitioners. The focus was on the petitioners' request for withdrawal and extension of interim orders.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
Heard together (35 matters)
Read from the judgment's own cause title. This page is filed under one of them.
W.P.(C) 2617/2026 & Other connected matters Page 1 of 5
$~1 to 6, 54, 55, 59 to 63, 72 to 102, 104 to 115 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 2617/2026 CM APPL. 12726/2026 + W.P.(C) 2626/2026 CM APPL. 12775/2026 + W.P.(C) 2632/2026 CM APPL. 12788/2026 + W.P.(C) 2644/2026 CM APPL. 12861/2026 + W.P.(C) 2646/2026 CM APPL. 12875/2026 + W.P.(C) 3001/2026 CM APPL. 14496/2026 + W.P.(C) 17735/2025 CM APPL. 73296/2025 + W.P.(C) 18878/2025 CM APPL. 78605/2025 + W.P.(C) 219/2026 CM APPL. 1011/2026 + W.P.(C) 220/2026 CM APPL. 1014/2026 + W.P.(C) 223/2026 CM APPL. 1078/2026 + W.P.(C) 224/2026 CM APPL. 1080/2026 + W.P.(C) 225/2026 CM APPL. 1082/2026 + W.P.(C) 14952/2025 CM APPL. 61522/2025 + W.P.(C) 14962/2025 CM APPL. 61539/2025 + W.P.(C) 14963/2025 CM APPL. 61541/2025 + W.P.(C) 14966/2025 CM APPL. 61546/2025 + W.P.(C) 14968/2025 CM APPL. 61550/2025 + W.P.(C) 14970/2025 CM APPL. 61553/2025 + W.P.(C) 15983/2025 CM APPL. 65400/2025 + W.P.(C) 16009/2025 CM APPL. 65606/2025 + W.P.(C) 16010/2025 CM APPL. 65608/2025 + W.P.(C) 16049/2025 CM APPL. 65754/2025 + W.P.(C) 16052/2025 CM APPL. 65760/2025 + W.P.(C) 16060/2025 CM APPL. 65776/2025 + W.P.(C) 15984/2025 CM APPL. 65404/2025 + W.P.(C) 16062/2025 CM APPL. 65778/2025 + W.P.(C) 17436/2025 CM APPL. 72019/2025 + W.P.(C) 17717/2025 CM APPL. 73149/2025 + W.P.(C) 17720/2025 CM APPL. 73157/2025 + W.P.(C) 17728/2025 CM APPL. 73209/2025 + W.P.(C) 17733/2025 CM APPL. 73292/2025 + W.P.(C) 17734/2025 CM APPL. 73294/2025 + W.P.(C) 17740/2025 CM APPL. 73304/2025 + W.P.(C) 17965/2025 CM APPL. 74320/2025 This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/04/2026 at 13:25:21
W.P.(C) 2617/2026 & Other connected matters Page 2 of 5
+ W.P.(C) 18006/2025 CM APPL. 74513/2025 + W.P.(C) 18009/2025 CM APPL. 74523/2025 + W.P.(C) 18034/2025 CM APPL. 74589/2025 + W.P.(C) 18972/2025 CM APPL. 79003/2025 + W.P.(C) 18973/2025 CM APPL. 79006/2025 + W.P.(C) 18974/2025 CM APPL. 79010/2025 + W.P.(C) 18977/2025 CM APPL. 79018/2025 + W.P.(C) 18978/2025 CM APPL. 79020/2025 + W.P.(C) 1402/2026 CM APPL. 6873/2026 + W.P.(C) 11060/2023 CM APPL. 42890/2023 + W.P.(C) 15149/2023 CM APPL. 60584/2023 + W.P.(C) 16210/2023 CM APPL. 65157/2023 + W.P.(C) 10257/2024 CM APPL. 42064/2024 + W.P.(C) 6642/2024 CM APPL. 27673/2024 + W.P.(C) 9719/2024 CM APPL. 39848/2024 + W.P.(C) 9735/2024 CM APPL. 39944/2024 + W.P.(C) 12374/2024 CM APPL. 51474/2024 + W.P.(C) 14007/2024 CM APPL. 58588/2024 + W.P.(C) 14505/2024 CM APPL. 60777/2024 + W.P.(C) 14732/2024 CM APPL. 61867/2024 + W.P.(C) 14814/2024 CM APPL. 62262/2024
WANSHAN MOBILES PVT LTD
LINGDAO MOBILES INDIA PVT LTD
BRO MOBILE TRADING INDIA PVT LTD
DELPHIX SOFTWARE PRIVATE LIMITED
KIRIN TECHNOLOGY PVT LTD
BOANG TECHNOLOGY PVT LTD
GREEN FORTUNE COMMUNICATIONS PVT LTD
KIRIN TECHNOLOGY PVT LTD
ZHENG YUAN MOBILES PVT LTD
ZHONGFU MOBILE PVT LTD
GONG CHENG COMMUNICATIONS PVT LTD
ZHONGFU MOBILE PVT LTD
DONALDSON INDIA FILTER SYSTEMS PRIVATE LIMITED
NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS INDIA PRIVATE
LIMITED This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/04/2026 at 13:25:21
W.P.(C) 2617/2026 & Other connected matters Page 3 of 5
MANPOWER GROUP SERVICES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
G4S SECURE SOLUTIONS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
CERAGON NETWORKS LTD
SOFTWAREONE INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
INFOGAIN INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS INDIA PRIVATE
LIMITED PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS ALCATEL LUCENT
INDIA LTD
RAMTECH CONSULTING
BID SERVICES DIVISION MAURITIUS LTD .....Petitioner
versus
ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX CENTRAL CIRCLE 30 DELHI & ORS.
.....Respondents
Counsel for the petitioner: Mr. Himanshu S. Sinha, Mr. Prashant Meharchandani, Ms. Kanika Jain & Mr. Jainender Singh Kataria, Advs. Mr. Ajay Vohra, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Aditya Vohra & Mr. Tanmay Dhakras, Advs.
Counsel for the respondent: Mr. Abhishek Maratha, SSC with Mr. Apoorv Agarwal, JSC & Mr. Viplav Acharya, JSC. Mr. Shlok Chandra, SSC with Ms. Nancy Jain, JSC, Ms. Madhavi Shukla, JSC & Mr. Udit Dad, Adv. Mr. Siddhartha Singha, SSC with Ms. Easha Gurung, JSC
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH MEHTA
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINOD KUMAR
O R D E R %
28.04.2026 1. Learned counsel inform that the basic issue of limitation under This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/04/2026 at 13:25:21
W.P.(C) 2617/2026 & Other connected matters Page 4 of 5
Section 144C read with Section 153 is pending before Hon’ble the Supreme Court and further that because of a divergence of opinion, the matter has been referred to a Larger Bench. 2. They further inform that in the meanwhile the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act of 1961’) has been retrospectively amended by way of Finance Act, 2026 and it has been provided that the limitation under Section 144C of the Act of 1961 will apply even after the limitation provided Section 153 is over. 3. Learned counsel submitted that by virtue of this retrospective amendment the rights of the accrued rights of assessee have been adversely affected. 4. Under the changed circumstances, learned counsel for the petitioners pray for withdrawal of the writ petitions with a liberty to file fresh writ petitions incorporating the challenge to the retrospective amendment brought by Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026, from other grounds which have already been raised. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioners, at this juncture, submitted that the filing of fresh petitions may take some time and therefore, the interim order which this Court has passed in each of the case be ordered to continue for a period of four weeks. 6. The request made by learned counsel for the petitioner appears to be reasonable, particularly when the petitioners are having interim order(s) in their favour; there is a divergence of opinion in two Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court and matter has been referred to a Larger Bench. 7. We, therefore, dispose of all the captioned writ petitions as withdrawn, while giving the petitioner(s) a liberty to file fresh writ This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/04/2026 at 13:25:21
W.P.(C) 2617/2026 & Other connected matters Page 5 of 5
petition(s) on or before 24.05.2026. 8. The interim order(s) as has been granted in each of the petitioner’s case shall continue up to 31.05.2026. 9. In case, any petitioner is not in a position to file a fresh writ petition on account of unavoidable circumstances, it shall be free to move appropriate application seeking extension of the interim order(s) or appropriate order. 10. The writ petitions stand disposed of alongwith all pending applications.
DINESH MEHTA, J
VINOD KUMAR, J APRIL 28, 2026/sr
This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/04/2026 at 13:25:21
More judgments on Section 144C
- Mishoo Sahay, Bangalore vs ACIT, Circle 2(1), It, KolkataITTPA 19/KOL/2026[2013-2014]Status: Disposed15 Oct 2026AY 2013-2014
- Anshu Sahay, Bangalore vs ACIT, Circle 2(1), It, KolkataITTPA 18/KOL/2026[2016-2017]Status: Disposed15 Oct 2026AY 2016-2017
- Anshu Sahay, Bangalore vs ACIT, Circle 2(1), It, KolkataITTPA 17/KOL/2026[2015-2016]Status: Disposed15 Oct 2026AY 2015-2016
- Anshu Sahay, Bangalore vs ACIT, Circle 2(1), It, KolkataITTPA 16/KOL/2026[2014-2015]Status: Disposed15 Oct 2026AY 2014-2015
- Anshu Sahay, Bangalore vs ACIT, Circle 2(1), It, KolkataITTPA 15/KOL/2026[2013-2014]Status: Disposed15 Oct 2026AY 2013-2014
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