SHARDABEN DHANJIBHAI SAVANI,SURAT vs. ITO, WARD 2(3)(4), SURAT

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ITA 387/SRT/2025Status: DisposedITAT Surat28 November 2025AY 2021-226 pages
AI SummaryPartly Allowed

What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal condoned the delay of 32 days in filing the appeal in ITA No. 385/SRT/2025, noting the revenue's lack of serious objection. Regarding the ex-parte order by the NFAC, the Tribunal acknowledged the assessee's plea that notices were not received at the physical address mentioned in Form-35, despite being sent via email. Observing that the Assessing Officer (AO) and NFAC issued notices but the assessee did not comply, the Tribunal found that the interests of justice would be met by re-adjudicating the issue afresh by the AO, subject to the assessee paying a cost of Rs. 5,000/- to the Prime Minister Relief Fund within two weeks. This order sets aside the CIT(A)'s order and remits the matter to the AO for fresh adjudication, allowing the assessee to furnish additional evidence. Consequently, the grounds of appeal in ITA No. 385/SRT/2025 were allowed for statistical purposes. For ITA No. 386/SRT/2025, as the quantum additions were restored to the AO, the penalty under section 271AAC(1) was also restored for fresh adjudication, and the appeal was allowed for statistical purposes. For ITA No. 387/SRT/2025, the Tribunal noted the penalty was for non-compliance due to a tax consultant's mistake. It directed the AO to impose a penalty of Rs. 10,000/- under section 271(1)(d), deleting penalties for two defaults and imposing for one, thus partly allowing the appeal.

What were the facts?

The assessee, Shardaben Dhanjibihai Savani, filed three appeals (ITA Nos. 385 to 387/SRT/2025) for Assessment Year 2021-22 against orders passed by the National Faceless Appeal Centre (NFAC), Delhi/Learned Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals). ITA No. 385/SRT/2025 challenges an unexplained addition in the quantum assessment. ITA No. 386/SRT/2025 pertains to a penalty under section 271A(1)(d) for non-compliance with notices during assessment proceedings, completed ex-parte under section 144 r.w.s 144B. ITA No. 387/SRT/2025 concerns a penalty under section 271(1)(d). The assessee's return declared Rs. 4,82,080, but the assessment was completed with an addition of Rs. 1,42,08,480, resulting in assessed income of Rs. 1,46,90,560 due to non-compliance with several notices. The appeals were clubbed due to being interconnected.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the Tribunal should condone the delay of 32 days in filing the appeal in ITA No. 385/SRT/2025, considering the assessee's explanation of miscommunication with her Authorized Representative. 2. Whether the ex-parte order passed by the NFAC in ITA No. 385/SRT/2025 should be set aside to grant the assessee an opportunity to present her case, based on the plea that notices were not received physically as per Form-35 instructions, and to uphold principles of natural justice. 3. Whether the penalty levied under section 271AAC(1) in ITA No. 386/SRT/2025, which was an ex-parte order, should be restored for fresh adjudication after the quantum issue is decided. 4. Whether the penalty imposed under section 271(1)(d) in ITA No. 387/SRT/2025 should be deleted or reduced, considering the assessee's submission that the non-compliance was due to a mistake by her tax consultant and that subsequent compliance was made. Assessee's Contentions: - For ITA No. 385/SRT/2025: The assessee argued that she did not receive physical notices from the NFAC as specified in Form-35, leading to her inability to attend appellate proceedings. She sought an opportunity to present her case based on principles of natural justice. The delay in filing was attributed to miscommunication with the Authorized Representative. - For ITA No. 387/SRT/2025: The assessee contended that the penalty under section 271(1)(d) was due to a mistake by her tax consultant and that she made subsequent compliance, suggesting the penalty should be imposed for only one default. Revenue's Contentions: - For ITA No. 385/SRT/2025: The revenue argued that the assessment order was ex-parte, the assessee did not cooperate, and failed to appear before the appellate authority despite opportunities. Therefore, the appeal should be dismissed, and the concurrent findings of lower authorities should not be interfered with.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 254(1),Section 250,Section 144,Section 144B,Section 271A(1)(d),Section 271AAC(1),Section 271(1)(d)

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Heard together (2 matters)

ITA No.385/SRT/2025
ITA No.386/RJT/2025

Read from the judgment's own cause title. This page is filed under one of them.

orarnr attetta aftreaxn, axa ~aais, Pa IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, SURAT BENCH, SURAT

BEFORE SHRI DINESH MOHAN SINHA, JUDICIAL MEMBER AND SHRI BIJAYANANDA PRUSETH, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER arr atta H./ITA Nos. 385 to 387/SRT/2025 (AY 2021-22) (Physical hearing) Shardaben Dhanjibihai Savani Assessment Unit Income-tax 74-75, 3" Floor Om Industries-8, Department juri ictional AO/ Umbhel Road, Parabgam, Kamrej, ary Income Tax Officer, Surat-394 101 Vs Ward-2(3)(4) Surat, Aaykar [PAN : KIYPS 3244 C] Bhawan, Majura Gate, Surat- 395 001 ardenelf/ Appellant weet Respondent Prafftdt #1 sik a /Assessee by Shri P.M. Jagasheth, CA Weed SG six S /Revenue by Shri Ajay Uke, Sr-DR | Aare wT ARTG/Date of hearing 15.09.2025 SUIT Ht ARG/Date of pronouncement | 28.11.2025

Order under section 254(1) of Income Tax Act

PER DINESH MOHAN SINHA, JUDICIAL MEMBER:

Captioned three appeals filed by the assessee, pertaining to same Assessment

Year (AY), that is, 2021-22, are directed against the separate orders passed by the National Faceless Appeal Centre, Delhi/ Learned Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), [in short “the Ld. CIT(A)/NFAC”], under section 250 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”), three orders of Ld.CIT(A) are dated 16.12.2024 and other two order of CIT(A) dated 06.03.2025 & 28.01.2025. In ITA No.385/SRT/2025, the assessee has challenged the unexplained addition in quantum assessment. In ITA No.386/RJT/2025, the assessee has committed each of default for non-compliance of notice during assessment proceedings, therefore, assessing officer imposed penalty u/s 271A(1)(d) of the Act under section 144 r.w.s 144B of Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘the Act’) on 17.12.2022. 2. All the three appeals are interconnected, and relate to one assessee, for same AY i.e., 2021-22, therefore with the consent of parties, these appeals have been clubbed and heard together and a consolidated order is being passed, to avoid the conflicting decisions.

3.

Perusal of record show that there is delay of 32 days in filing appeal before Tribunal. The assessee has filed application giving reasons for delay in filing appeal before Tribunal. The assessee explained that the delay of 32 days was occurred that there was some miscommunication with her Authorized Representative. Therefore, delay of 32 days in filing the appeal be condoned. The Ld. Sr-DR appearing for the revenue has no serious objection, hence the delay of 32 days in filing the appeal is hereby condoned and the main case is taken for adjudication.

4.

The brief facts of the case is the assessee filed her return of income declaring total income of Rs.4,82,080/- on 16.12.2021. Subsequently, case was selected for complete scrutiny under CASS because of large import and export and the return filed by assessee is non-business income. Several notices issued by the AO but there was non compliance by assessee, resultantly assessment completed with addition of Rs.1,42,08,480/- and assessed income at Rs.1,46,90,560/-. Till before Ld. CIT(A) there was no submission filed by the assessee. In response to notice issued by Ld. CIT(A) and in terms of the ratio of the judgments of the Hon’ble Apex Court and the various Hon’ble High Courts including the judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the hearing notices were been sent by e-mail to the assessee, however, in Form-35, very specifically the assessee stated the notices not to be sent through e-mail. Thus, the assessee was not served with any physical notice of hearing, the assessee could attend the appellate proceedings before NFAC. In the interest of principles of natural justice the assessee be given one opportunity by setting aside the ex —arte order

passed by the NFAC.

6.

On the other hand, Ld. Sr-DR submitted that even the assessment order is an ex parte order and assessee has not co-operated with the Department and also not appeared before the appellate authority in spite of various opportunities was given. Therefore, the appeal is liable to be dismissed and concurrent findings of the lower

authorities does not require any interference.

7.

We have heard both the parties and gone through the materials available on record. Upon perusal of record, we find that AO as well as Ld. CIT(A) both issued notices but assessee not complied with any of the notices, however, the plea of the assessee that Form-35 column-17 where it is mentioned the address “74-75, #RDFLOOR, OM INDUSTRIES-8, UMBHEL ROAD, Chorasi, Mota Varachha S.O. SURAT, Gujarat, India-394101” and the notice sent to the physical copy on the above address. However, there was no notice sent on this above address by the Ld. CIT(A). We note that assessee was not co-operated with the Department due to Form-35

address. On account of non-compliance attitude of the assessee a cost of Rs. 5000/- is imposed on the assessee. Accordingly, we hold that the interests of justice would be met, if the Assessing Officer re-adjudicates the entire issue afresh subject to payment of cost of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees five thousand only) by the assessee to the credit of the “Prime Minister Relief Fund” within 2 weeks from receipt of this order. If the assessee makes default in making the payment of cost then the consequential

proceedings would be deemed, as vacation of our instant remand order with a direction to adjudicate the issue afresh in accordance with law and assessee is permitted to furnish additional evidences, if any, as and when called for, by the Assessing Officer. We set aside the order of CIT(A) and remit the matter back to the file of Assessing Officer. With these directions, the grounds of appeal raised by the assessee are allowed for statistical purposes.

8.

In the result, assessee’s appeal ITA No.385/SRT/2025 is allowed for statistical

purposes in terms of our aforesaid observations.

9.

Considering the facts that the additions in the quantum assessment is restored back to the file of AO, therefore, the penalty levied in ex-parte order u/s 271AAC(1) is also restored to for fresh adjudication after deciding the quantum issue in accordance with law. In the result, the ground of appeal raised in this appeal is allowed for statistical purposes.

10.

Inthe result, assessee’s appeal ITA No.386/SRT/2025 is allowed for statistical

purposes.

11.

We have heard both the parties and perused the materials available on record. Before us, Ld. Counsel for the assessee submitted that due to mistake of the Ld. Counsel of the assessee, the notices of hearing issued during assessment proceedings were not complied by assessee, under consideration. The assessee is female and she does not know the income tax proceedings and she solely dependent on her tax consultant. We note that the tax consultant has committed the mistake and did not reply, to the first notice, issued during assessment proceedings. Therefore, we note that penalty u/s 271(1)(d) of the Act should be imposed for one time default only; as the assessee made subsequent compliance. Therefore, we delete penalty for two defaults and I direct the Assessing Officer to impose Rs.10,000/-, as a penalty u/s 271(1)(d) of the Act, on the assessee. This ground of assessee’s appeal is partly

allowed.

12.

Inthe result, assessee’s appeal ITA No.387/SRT/2025 is partly allowed.

13.

In combine result, ITA No.385 and 386/SRT/2025 are allowed for statistical purposes whereas appeal of assessee in ITA No.387/SRT/2025 is partly allowed.

Order pronounced in the open court on 28/11/2025. (BIJAYANANDA PRUSETH) (DINESH MOHAN SINHA) chal WaR/Accountant Member zat Faey/Judicial Member

Wd / Surat Dated: 28/11/2025

Dkp Outsourcing Sr.P.S*

ITA Nos.385-387 /SRT/2025 (A.Y.21-22) Sharadaben D Savani

Tea at ulate setfFa/ Copy of the order forwarded to :

arttanefiy The Appellant weet The Respondent

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