ITO(EXEMPTIONS), VADODARA vs. MUSLIM ISLAHI JAMAT, VEJALPUR ROAD, GODHRA
What did the Tribunal hold?
The Tribunal held that the notice issued under Section 148 on 28-07-2022 for Assessment Year 2016-17 was invalid because it was issued beyond the last permissible date of 14-06-2022. This determination was based on the Supreme Court's Rajeev Bansal decision and the Gujarat High Court's ruling in Dhanraj Govindram Kella. Consequently, the CIT(A) was justified in quashing the assessment order, and the Revenue's appeal was dismissed.
What were the facts?
The assessee, a charitable trust, purchased land, leading the Assessing Officer to make an addition of Rs. 79,60,000 under Section 69 as unexplained investment, representing the difference between jantry value and agreement value. The CIT(A) subsequently allowed the assessee's appeal, quashing the assessment order based on Supreme Court guidelines regarding the validity of reassessment notices. The revenue filed an appeal challenging the CIT(A)'s decision.
What were the issues?
Whether the CIT(A) was justified in quashing the assessment order due to an invalid Section 148 notice issued beyond the extended time limit, and consequently deleting the addition made under Section 69 for unexplained investment.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
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Cases cited in this judgment(2)Show listHide list
Detected automatically from the text. Citations are also linked where they appear in the judgment. The count shows how many other judgments on BharatTax rely on the same authority.
- Union of India v. Rajeev Bansal713 citing469 ITR 46 · 2024 · SC · Read judgment
- Union of India v. Ashish Agarwal524 citing444 ITR 1 · 2022 · SC · Read judgment
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, AHMEDABAD “D” BENCH
Before: Dr. BRR Kumar & Ms. Suchitra Kamble
आदेश/ORDER
Per Suchitra Kamble, Judicial Member:
This is an appeal filed against the order dated 29-07- 2025 passed by National Faceless Appeal Centre (NFAC), Delhi for assessment year 2016-17.
The grounds of appeal
are as under:- “1. Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case in law, the Ld.CIT(A), NFAC is justified in quashing the assessment order when the specified authority under Section 151(1) has an extended time till
30. June 2021 to grant approval where the instant case pertains to A.Y. 2016-17, the initial notice u/s 148 of the Act was issued on 30.06.2021 which was within extended period of 03 years from the A.Y. 2016-17.
Muslim Islahi Jamat, A.Y. 2016-17 2. Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, Ld.CIT(A) is justified in deleting addition of Rs.79,60,000/- made on account of unexplained investment u/s 69 of I.T. Act, 1961.”
The assessee is a charitable trust and has not filed return of income. The assessee trust purchased land during the year under consideration at the market value. The Assessing Officer made addition of difference between jantry value and agreement value amounting to Rs. 79,60,000/- and treated the same as unexplained investment u/s. 69 of the Act. The assessee filed appeal before the CIT(A). The CIT(A) allowed the appeal of the assessee as per the guideline of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in case of Union of India vs. Ashish Agarwal 444 ITR 1 and Union of India vs. Rajeev Bansal 469 ITR 46.
At the time of hearing, none appeared on behalf of the assessee, therefore, we are proceeding on the basis of the submissions made by the assessee before the CIT(A). The notice u/s. 148 under new regime was issued on 28-07-2022 in the present assessee’s case for assessment year 2016-17 and the earlier notice u/s. 148 was issued on 30-06-2021. The assessment was passed on 08-05-2023. From the perusal of the decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court in case of Rajeev Bansal (supra), the notices issued u/s. 148 of the Act under old regime between 01-04-2021 and 30-06-2021 as per TOLA will be a valid notice if the notice u/s. 148 of the Act under the new regime is issued within three years from the end of the relevant assessment year as three years would complete within the period of 20-03-2020 and 30-06-2021. The decision of Hon’ble Gujarat High Court in case of Dhanraj Govindram Kella vs. ITO (R/Special Civil Application No. 6387 of 2023, 5688 of 2023, Muslim Islahi Jamat, A.Y. 2016-17 22260 of 2022 & 996 of 2023 order dated 8.7.2025) has categorically mentioned that the last date for issuance of notice u/s. 148 as per surviving time for assessment year 2016-17 will be that of 14-06-2022 and in the present assessee’s case it was issued thereafter i.e. 28-07-2022. Thus, the notice itself becomes invalid and hence the CIT(A) has rightly given the finding in favour of the assessee thereby quashing the assessment order. The appeal preferred by the Revenue does not survive.
In the result, the appeal of the Revenue is dismissed.
More judgments on Section 151(1)
- Infra Developers, Shivpuri vs Income Tax Officer, AshoknagarITA 454/AGR/2026[2014-15]Status: Disposed16 Oct 2026AY 2014-15
- Rimjhim Properties Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata vs I.T.O., Ward - 7(1), KolkataITA 704/KOL/2026[2011-2012]Status: Disposed5 Oct 2026AY 2011-2012
- Farhat Suhail Sayed Mansoori, Bandra (W) vs DCIT-23(1), Mumbai, Lalbaug, ParelITA 5766/MUM/2025[2010-11]Status: Disposed29 Sept 2026AY 2010-11
- Hemant Devji Thakkar HUF, Mumbai vs Assessing Officer, MumbaiITA 3237/MUM/2026[2012-13]Status: Disposed28 Sept 2026AY 2012-13
- The Joint Commissioner of Income Tax vs M/S Jindal Power LimitedTAXC/15/202523 Sept 2026
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