AMIT MONDAL,EAST BURDWAN vs. ITO, WARD-2(1), BURDWAN. , BURDWAN

This appeal of the assessee for the assessment year 2018-19 is directed against the order dated 10.08.2023 passed by the ld. Commissioner of Income-tax, Appeals, NFAC, Delhi [hereinafter referred to as ‘the ‘ld. CIT(A)’].

At the outset, we find that there is a delay of 7 days in filing of the appeal by the assessee. We after perusing the petition for condonation are convinced that the assessee was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time and hence delay is condoned and appeal is admitted.

The ld. Counsel for the assessee submitted that the order of the ld. CIT(A) is an ex-parte order and nothing has been dealt on merits except reiterating assessment order on the disallowances/additions made by the ld. AO. The assessee could not get any opportunity to file its submissions and other relevant details. As the assessee being semi-literate rural folk and has not Amit Kumar Mondal conversant with electronic mode of intimation of notices through e- mail. Due to this reason, assessee failed to decipher the said intimation and case was decided ex-parte against the assessee by the ld. CIT(A). Thus, the assessee referring to grounds of the appeal, it has prayed that grounds raised in the instant appeal may be restored to the ld. CIT(A) for adjudicating afresh after providing reasonable opportunity of being heard.

Per contra, ld. DR opposed the request made by the ld. counsel for the assessee. Since the ld. CIT(A) issued several consecutive notices to the assessee but assessee did not avail such opportunity given by the ld. CIT(A).

We have heard the rival contentions and perused the records placed before us. Through grounds, the assessee has stated that ld. CIT(A) failed to appreciate the materials on record and passed the order ex-parte. On perusal of the impugned order, we noticed that the instant ground raised by the assessee has merit as in the impugned order, ld. CIT(A) merely reproduce grounds of appeal raised by the assessee and the decision part, finding has been given only reiterating the assessment order passed by the ld. AO, as the assessee in the instant case could not able to file necessary details as well as submissions at the time of hearing before the ld. CIT(A). Under these given facts and circumstances, we restore the matter in the instant appeal to the file of ld. CIT(A) for adjudicating afresh to pass a speaking order after considering the submission made by the assessee for which reasonable opportunity of being heard should be provided. The assessee also directed to remain vigilant and file

In the result, the appeal of the assessee is allowed for statistical purposes.