Facts
The Revenue appealed against the order of the CIT(A) who quashed the assessment order and the notice u/s 148, holding it to be barred by limitation. The CIT(A) relied on the Supreme Court decision in Union of India vs. Rajeev Bansal.
Held
The Tribunal upheld the CIT(A)'s decision, finding that the notice issued u/s 148 of the Act dated 28.07.2022 was barred by limitation as per Section 149 of the Act, following the Supreme Court judgments in Ashish Agarwal and Rajeev Bansal.
Key Issues
Whether the notice issued u/s 148 of the Income Tax Act was barred by limitation, considering the retrospective amendments and Supreme Court pronouncements.
Sections Cited
147, 144(B), 148, 148A, 149, 68, 115BBE
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Before: MS. KAVITHA RAJAGOPAL & SHRI PRABHASH SHANKAR
PER PRABHASH SHANKAR [A.M.] :- The present appeal is filed by the Revenue against the order passed by the Learned Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals)/National Faceless Appeal Centre, Delhi [hereinafter referred to as “CIT(A)”] pertaining to assessment order passed u/s. 147 r.w.s. 144(B) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 [hereinafter referred to as “Act”] dated 30.05.2023 for the Assessment Year [A.Y.] 2014-15. P a g e | 2 A.Y. 2014-15 Manoj Jain HUF 2. The grounds of appeal are as under:
“On the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld.CIT(A) is erred in quashing the assessment order without making any discussion on the merit of the case.” 2. “On the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld. CIT(A) is erred in disregarding the ratio led down by Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Ashish Agarwal that all the notices issued by the Revenue between 01.04.2021 to 30.06.2021 are deemed notices issued u/s 148A(b) of the Act meaning thereby that these are valid notices and not barred by limitation.” 3. “On the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld.CIT(A) is erred in holding that notice u/s 148 of the Act is barred by limitation irrespective of the notice u/s 148 of the Act was issued as per provision of section 148A and well within time and valid.” 4. “On the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld. CIT(A) is erred in deleting the addition made in terms of section 68 r.w.s. 115BBE of the I.T.Act, 1961 ignoring that the Assessing Officer has proved the alleged transaction in the form of LTCG/STCL/STCG from an operator Shri. Naresh Jain, as nothing but an accommodation entry.” 5. “On the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Hon’ble ITAT is requested to entertain this appeal, though, the tax effect is below the monetary limit prescribed in the CBDT Circular No.5/2024 Dt. 15.03.2024 but the case falls within the exceptions laid down clause (h) of Para 3.1 of the Board’s Circular No.5/24 Dt. 15.03.2024.”
Before us, the ld.DR has placed reliance on the assessment order while the ld.AR pointed out that the Ld. CIT(A), has rightly held the impugned notice u/s 148 of the Act, dated 28.07.2022 to be barred by limitation in view of the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Courtin the case of Union of India vs. Rajeev Bansal (2024) 469 ITR 46 (SC) and quashed the consequential impugned assessment order u/s 147 of the Act, dated 30.05.2023.In this regard, a chronology of the notices/orders issued by the Ld. A.O. vis-a-vis the working of limitation as per the decision of the hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Union of P a g e | 3 A.Y. 2014-15 Manoj Jain HUF India vs Rajeev Bansal (supra) vis-a-vis the decision of the Ld. CIT(A) has been as under:-
S.No. Event/Action Date/Period
Issuance of notice u/s 148 of the Act under 29.06.2021 old regime
Notice u/s 148A(b) i.e. Supply of material as per 26.05.2022 Hon’ble Supreme Court direction in the case of Ashish Agarwal
Time allowed to the assessee for filing response 14.06.2022 against notice u/s 148A(b)
Reply filed by the appellant against show cause 08.06.2022 notice u/s 148A(b) of the Act.
Surviving period left to issue the notice u/s 148 of 2 days (days between the Act i.e. under new regime as per Hon’ble 29.06.2021- Supreme Court Order in the case of Rajeev Bansal 30.06.2021) (supra)
Time in Sr. No. 5 above extended by Ld. CIT(A) 7 days appeals in view of 4thProviso to Section 149(1) of the Act
The date till which a notice u/s 148 of the 14.06.2022 Act under new regime should have been (08.06.2022 + 7 issued as per Hon’ble Supreme Court Order days) in the case of Rajeev Bansal (supra) and order of Ld. CIT(A)
Actual date of notice issued u/s 148 of the Act 28.07.2022 under new regime
1 It is submitted that the ld. CIT(A) has correctly held the impugned notice u/s 148 of the Act, dated 28.07.2022to be barred by limitation and quashed the impugned assessment order. Per contra, the ld.DR did not controvert the contentions of the ld.AR as also the chronology of notices reproduced above.
Having considered the provisions of the Act, before as well as after the amendment by the Finance Act, 2021, and the TOLA, in the P a g e | 4 A.Y. 2014-15 Manoj Jain HUF light of the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Ashish Agarwal (supra) and Rajeev Bansal (supra), we are of the considered view that the notice issued under section 148 of the Act on 28.07.2022for the relevant assessment year is barred by limitation period specified under section 149 of the Act. Therefore, there is no infirmity in the appellate order treating notice issued under section 148 of the Act to be void ab initio and bad in law and in quashing the reassessment notice and consequent order. Accordingly, appellate order is upheld, dismissing the appeal of the revenue on this ground of limitation.
Since we have already upheld quashing of impugned order, we do not find necessary to decide the other grounds on merit because rest of the grounds of Revenue in appeal, are rendered academic.
In the result, the appeal filed by the revenue is dismissed.
Order pronounced in the open court on 04.08.2025. KAVITHA RAJAGOPAL PRABHASH SHANKAR (न्याययक सदस्य /JUDICIAL MEMBER) (लेखाकार सदस्य/ACCOUNTANT MEMBER)
Place: म ुंबई/Mumbai ददनाुंक /Date 04.08.2025 Lubhna Shaikh / Steno
P a g e | 5 A.Y. 2014-15 Manoj Jain HUF
आदेश की प्रयियलयि अग्रेयिि/Copy of the Order forwarded to : 1. अपीलार्थी / The Appellant 2. प्रत्यर्थी / The Respondent. 3. आयकर आयुक्त / CIT 4. विभागीय प्रविविवि, आयकर अपीलीय अविकरण DR, ITAT, Mumbai 5. गार्ड फाईल / Guard file.
सत्यावपि प्रवि //// आदेशानुसार/ BY ORDER,
उि/सहायक िंजीकार (Dy./Asstt.