PUSARLA SUBHASH,,VISAKHAPATNAM vs. INCOME TAX OFFICER, WARD-1(4), VISAKHAPATNAM

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL VISAKHAPATNAM BENCH, VISAKHAPATNAM BEFORE SHRI V. DURGA RAO, HON’BLE JUDICIAL MEMBER & SHRI D.S. SUNDER SINGH, HON’BLE ACCOUNTANT MEMBER ITA No. 167/VIZ/2018 (Asst. Year : 2013-14) Pusarla Subhash, vs. ITO, Ward-1(4), D.No. 15-13-6, Maharanipeta, Visakhapatnam. Krishna Nagar, Visakhapatnam. PAN No. AIGPP 2446 K (Appellant) (Respondent)

Assessee by : Shri G.V.N. Hari – Advocate. Department By : Shri K.C. Das – Sr.DR

Date of hearing : 07/08/2018. Date of pronouncement : 10/08/2018.

O R D E R PER V. DURGA RAO, JUDICIAL MEMBER

This appeal by the assessee is directed against the order of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)-5, Hyderabad, dated 16/02/2018 for the Assessment Year 2013-14. 2. Facts of the case, in brief, are that the assessee is an individual, filed his return of income by declaring total income of Rs. 2,27,880. The case of the assessee was selected for scrutiny and assessment is completed under section 143(3) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act'). During the

2 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

course of assessment proceedings, the assessee claimed to have received agricultural income of Rs. 25,36,596/- on cultivation of palm fruit plantation and requested the Assessing Officer to allow expenditure incurred on agricultural operations of Rs.12,31,167/- as it was not deducted in the original return filed, but he failed to produce the books of account. Therefore, the Assessing Officer added the same, on agreed basis, to the total income of the assessee and subsequently by issuing notice under section 274 r.w.s. 271(1)(c) of the Act, penalty of Rs. 3,80,430/- was imposed. 3. On appeal, ld. CIT(A) confirmed the penalty order passed by the Assessing Officer. 4. Aggrieved, the assessee has raised the following additional ground before the Tribunal. “Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the order dt. 16-02-2018 levying penalty u/s 271(1)(c) is liable to be cancelled in as much as the notice dt.29-02-2016 initiating the penalty proceedings did not specify clearly as to whether the penalty proceedings were initiated for concealment of particulars of income or for furnishing inaccurate particulars of income." 5. Learned counsel for the assessee has submitted that the notice issued by the Assessing Officer dated 29/02/2016, is a vague notice and therefore, the additional ground raised before

3 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

the tribunal is a legal issue, which goes to the root of the matter and therefore the same may be admitted. 6. On the other hand, learned Departmental Representative has raised an objection for admission of additional legal ground raised by the assessee. 7. We have heard both the sides, perused the material available on record and orders of the authorities below. 8. We find that the issue raised by the assessee is a legal issue and all the facts are available on record. In this context, the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of National Thermal Power Co. Ltd. Vs. CIT (229 ITR 383) has considered the issue and held that ‘where the tribunal is only required to consider a question of law arising from the facts which are on record in the assessment proceedings we fail to see why such a question should not be allowed to be raised when it is necessary to consider that question in order to correctly assess the tax liability of an assessee’. From the above, it is very clear that there is no fresh investigation on facts is required, the additional ground raised by the assessee has to be adjudicated, hence, the same has to be admitted by following the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of National Thermal Power Co. Ltd., (supra), the additional ground raised by the assessee is admitted.

4 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

5 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

not. For the sake of convenience, operative part of the notice is extracted as under:- “Whereas in the course of proceedings before me for the Assessment Year 2009-10, it appears to me that you, x x x x x x x x x x * have concealed the particulars of your income or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income.” 13. From the above, it is not clear whether Assessing Officer has initiated penalty proceedings for concealment of particulars of income or for furnished inaccurate particulars. Therefore, the notice issued by the Assessing Officer is a vague notice and is liable to be quashed in the light of the decision of the Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court in the case of Smt. Baisetty Revathi (supra) and also the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of SSA’s Emerald Meadows (supra). The coordinate bench of the Visakhapatnam tribunal in the case of Konchada Sreeram Vs. ITO in ITA No. 388/VIZ/2015, by order dated 06/10/2017, has considered the validity of notice by following the above referred to judgments and held that notice issued by the Assessing Officer is not a valid notice and accordingly quashed. For the sake of convenience, the relevant portion of the order is extracted as under:-

6 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

“6. We have heard both the parties and perused the material placed on record. In this case, the assessee has not filed the return of income. The department has conducted the survey u/s 133A and completed the assessment u/s 143(3) on total income of Rs.15,43,041/- and initiated penalty proceedings u/s 271(1)(c). The fact is that long term capital gains for sale of the property have come to the notice of the assessing officer because of the efforts made by the department. Therefore, the AO has initiated the penalty proceedings u/s 271(1)(c) and issued show cause notice in the printed proforma of penalty. The AO has issued the penalty notice which reads as under : “WHEREAS in the course of the proceeding before me for the Asst. Year 2007-08 it appears to me that you have concealed the particulars of your some or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income.” 6.1. From the notice issued by the AO, it is observed that the assessing officer had issued the notice for concealment of income or for furnishing of inaccurate particulars. As per the notice, the assessing officer was not sure of which limb of the offence he sought the explanation from the assessee, whether it was for the concealment of income or for furnishing of inaccurate particulars. As per the decision of the Hon’ble Jurisdictional High Court cited, for starting the penalty proceedings, the condition precedent is that the assessing officer must be satisfied that a person has either concealed the particulars of his income or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income. The person who is accused of the conditions mentioned in Section 271 should be made aware of the grounds on which imposition of penalty is proposed as he has a right to contest such proceedings and should have the full opportunity to meet the case of the revenue so as to show that the conditions stipulated in Section 271(1)(c) do not exist and that he is not liable to pay the penalty. The Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka in the case law cited held that the practice of the revenue in sending the printed form where all the grounds mentioned in 271(1)(c) are mentioned would not satisfy the requirement of law when the consequence of the assessee not rebutting the initial presumption is serious in nature and has to pay the penalty ranging from 100% to 300% of the tax liability. As the provisions of section 271(1)(c) have to be strictly construed, the Hon’ble High court of Karnataka mandated that the notice issued should be set out the grounds which the assessee has to meet specifically, otherwise the principles of natural justice would be offended as the show cause notice would be vague. On the similar facts, Hon’ble Supreme Court dismissed the SLP in the case of SSA’s Emerald Meadows (2016) 73 Taxman.com 248(SC). Ld. DR’s argument that the case is distinguishable on facts is not acceptable since the Ld. DR relied

7 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

on the passing observation of the Hon’ble High Court of AP. In the assessee’s case, the issue is the defective notice u/s 271(1)(c) but not the penalty order. Unless the notice issued u/s 271(1)(c) is valid the penalty order cannot be held to be valid. The assessing officer did not strike off the irrelevant column in the notice and made known the assessee whether the penalty was initiated for the concealment of income or for furnishing the inaccurate particulars. In the assessment order also the AO simply recorded that the penalty proceedings u/s 271(1)(c) are initiated separately. Neither in the assessment order nor in the penalty notice, the assessing officer has put the assessee on notice for which offence, the penalty u/s 271 was initiated. Therefore, the case is squarely covered by the decision of the Hon’ble Jurisdictional High Court of cited (supra) wherein the Hon’ble high court held as under: “On principle, when penalty proceedings are sought to be initiated by the revenue under Section 271(1)(c) of the Act of 1961, the specific ground which forms the foundation therefore has to be spelt out in clear terms Otherwise, on assesee would not have proper opportunity to put forth his defence. When the proceedings are penal in nature resulting in imposition of penalty ranging from 100% to 300% of the tax liability, the charge must be unequivocal and unambiguous. When the charge is either concealment of particulars of income or furnishing of inaccurate particulars thereof, the revenue must specify as to which one of the two is sought to be pressed into service and cannot be permitted to club both by interjecting an 'or' between the two, as in the present case. This ambiguity in the show-cause notice is further compounded presently by the confused finding of the Assessing Officer that he was satisfied that the assessee was guilty of both. We are therefore of the opinion that the order under appeal does not brook interference on any ground. We find no question of law, much less a substantial one, arising for consideration warranting admission of this appeal.” 6.2. On the similar facts, the Coordinate Bench of ITAT, Visakhapatnam in ITA No.229/Viz/2015 in the case of Narayana Reddy Enterprises, following the order of the Coordinate Bench in the case of Smt. Makina Annapurna Vs. ITO, Visakhapatnam in ITA Nos.604 & 605/Vizag/2014 dated 2.2.2017 held that non-striking of the irrelevant column renders the notice issued u/s 271 as invalid. Respectfully, following the decision of the Hon’ble AP High Court cited supra and the decision of this Tribunal cited (supra), we hold that the notice issued u/s 271 is invalid and consequent penalty imposed by the AO is cancelled. “

8 ITA No.167 /VIZ/2018 (Pusarla Subhash)

Sd/- sd/- (D.S. SUNDER SINGH) (V. DURGA RAO) Accountant Member Judicial Member Dated : 10th August, 2018. vr/- Copy to: 1. The Assessee – Pusarla Subhash, D.No. 15-13-6, Maharanipeta, Krishna Nagar, Visakhapatnam. 2. The Revenue – ITO, Ward-1(4), Visakhapatnam. 3. The Pr.CIT-1, Hyderabad. 4. The CIT(A)-5, Hyderabad. 5. The D.R., Visakhapatnam. 6. Guard file. By order

(VUKKEM RAMBABU) Sr. Private Secretary, ITAT, Visakhapatnam.