INFOGAIN INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED vs. ASSESSMENT UNIT, NATIONAL FACELESS ASSESSMENT CENTRE & ANR.

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W.P.(C)/17735/2025HC DelhiDLHC01092513202528 April 2026Bench: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH MEHTA,HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINOD KUMAR5 pages
AI SummaryWithdrawn

What did the High Court hold?

The Delhi High Court disposed of all the captioned writ petitions as withdrawn. The Court acknowledged the petitioners' prayer to withdraw the petitions to file fresh ones challenging the retrospective amendment introduced by Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026. The Court found the request reasonable, especially given the pending Supreme Court matter on the limitation issue and the fact that the petitioners had interim orders in their favor. The Court granted liberty to the petitioners to file fresh writ petitions on or before May 24, 2026. The interim orders granted in each 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.

What were the facts?

The petitioners, various private limited companies, filed writ petitions before the Delhi High Court challenging orders related to their income tax assessments. The core issue revolved around the interplay of limitation periods under Section 144C read with Section 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. It was noted that this issue was pending before the Supreme Court, with a reference to a Larger Bench due to a divergence of opinion. Subsequently, the Finance Act, 2026, introduced a retrospective amendment (Section 8) that altered the application of the limitation under Section 144C, even after the limitation under Section 153 had expired. The petitioners argued that this retrospective amendment adversely affected their accrued rights.

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 Contentions: The petitioners contended that the retrospective amendment by Section 8 of the Finance Act, 2026, adversely affects their accrued rights. They sought to withdraw their current writ petitions to file fresh ones 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 allow them time to file the fresh petitions. Revenue's Contentions: The judgment does not record any specific contentions from the revenue on the issues raised by the petitioners.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 144C,Section 153

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Heard together (35 matters)

W.P.(C) 2617/2026
W.P.(C) 2626/2026
W.P.(C) 2632/2026
W.P.(C) 2644/2026
W.P.(C) 2646/2026
W.P.(C) 3001/2026
W.P.(C) 17735/2025
W.P.(C) 18878/2025
W.P.(C) 219/2026
W.P.(C) 220/2026
W.P.(C) 223/2026
W.P.(C) 224/2026
W.P.(C) 225/2026
W.P.(C) 14952/2025
W.P.(C) 14962/2025
W.P.(C) 14963/2025
W.P.(C) 14966/2025
W.P.(C) 14968/2025
W.P.(C) 14970/2025
W.P.(C) 15983/2025
W.P.(C) 16009/2025
W.P.(C) 16010/2025
W.P.(C) 16049/2025
W.P.(C) 16052/2025
W.P.(C) 16060/2025
W.P.(C) 15984/2025
W.P.(C) 16062/2025
W.P.(C) 17436/2025
W.P.(C) 17717/2025
W.P.(C) 17720/2025
W.P.(C) 17728/2025
W.P.(C) 17733/2025
W.P.(C) 17734/2025
W.P.(C) 17740/2025
W.P.(C) 17965/2025

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 13:18:27

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 13:18:27

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 13:18:27

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 13:18:27

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 13:18:27

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