Facts
The assessee was ex-parte before the Ld. CIT(A) because their Chartered Accountant failed to intimate the dismissal of the appeal. The assessee promptly filed the present appeal upon learning of the dismissal and sought an opportunity for hearing.
Held
The Tribunal held that the ends of justice would be met by deciding the issues on merits after providing a fair opportunity of hearing. Therefore, the appeal was restored to the file of the Ld. CIT(A) for fresh adjudication.
Key Issues
Whether the assessee was denied a fair opportunity of hearing before the Ld. CIT(A) and if the matter should be restored for fresh adjudication.
Sections Cited
250, 1961
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, “C” BENCH MUMBAI
Before: HON’BLE SHRI SANDEEP GOSAIN & SHRI OMKARESHWAR CHIDARA
Date of Hearing 24.04.2025 Date of Pronouncement 28.04.2025 आदेश / ORDER
PER SANDEEP GOSAIN, JM:
1. The present appeal has been filed by the revenue challenging the impugned order 17.01.2025 passed u/s 250 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (‘the Act’), by the National Faceless Appeal Centre, Delhi (NFAC) for the assessment year 2018-19.
At the very outset, we noticed that assessee was ex- parte before Ld. CIT(A) and in this regard it was submitted that the Chartered Accountant engaged by the assessee had not intimated the fact of dismissal of appeal and even the e-mail ID with the Income-tax department was that of the said Chartered Accountant. Only after coming to know that the dismissal of the appeal the assessee has promptly promptly filed the present appeal and is seeking an opportunity of hearing. On the other hand Ld. DR contested the said appeal and requested for dismissal of the same.
After having heard both the parties and after perusal of material placed on record as well as orders passed by the revenue authorities and without going into the merits of the allegations and counter allegations, the bench is of the view that the ends of justice would be met only if the issues between the parties are decided on merits after providing fair opportunity of hearing.
Be that as it may, keeping in view the above position in mind, we are inclined to provide one more opportunity to the assessee to prove his case before the revenue authorities. Therefore, the present appeal is restored back to the file of Ld. CIT(A) for fresh adjudication by providing opportunity of hearing to the parties. The assessee shall not seek any adjournment on frivolous grounds and remain cooperative during the course of proceedings.
Before parting, we make it clear that our decision to restore the matter back to the file of Ld.CIT(A) shall in no way be construed as having any reflection or expression on the merits of the dispute which shall be adjudicated by the Ld. CIT(A) independently in accordance with law.
In the result, the appeal filed by the assessee stands allowed for statistical purposes.
Order pronounced in the open court on 28.04.2025.
Sd/- Sd/- (OMKARESHWAR CHIDARA) (SANDEEP GOSAIN) (ACCOUNTANT MEMBER) JUDICIAL MEMBER Mumbai, Dated 28/04/2025 KRK, PS आदेश की �ितिलिप अ�ेिषत/Copy of the Order forwarded to : अपीलाथ� / The Appellant 1. ��थ� / The Respondent. 2. संबंिधत आयकर आयु� / The CIT(A) 3. आयकर आयु�(अपील) / Concerned CIT 4. िवभागीय �ितिनिध, आयकर अपीलीय अिधकरण, मु�बई / DR, ITAT, Mumbai 5. गाड� फाईल / Guard file. 6. आदेशानुसार/ BY ORDER, स�ािपत �ित //True Copy//
उप/सहायक पंजीकार ( Asst. Registrar) आयकर अपीलीय अिधकरण, मु�बई मु�बई / ITAT, Mumbai मु�बई मु�बई