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“reason to believe”

ReassessmentSection 147Section 1474,202 judgments

The decision most relied on for reason to believe is CIT v. Kelvinator of India Ltd. (320 ITR 561), cited in 1,673 judgments on BharatTax.

Leading authorities on reason to believe

CIT v. Kelvinator of India Ltd.
320 ITR 561 · 2010 · Supreme Court
1,673
citing judgments

An Assessing Officer cannot initiate reassessment proceedings under Section 147 of the Income Tax Act based on a mere change of opinion. Reassessment is permissible only when there is fresh tangible material leading to the belief of income escapement, not merely a review of existing facts.

CIT v. Durga Prasad More
82 ITR 540 · 1971 · Supreme Court
1,579
citing judgments

Tax authorities must judge evidence using the test of human probabilities and consider the apparent as real until there are reasons to believe it is not. They can rely on circumstantial evidence and the preponderance of probabilities to determine the genuineness of transactions.

ACIT v. Rajesh Jhaveri Stock Brokers Pvt. Ltd.
291 ITR 500 · 2007 · Supreme Court
1,030
citing judgments

For initiating reassessment proceedings under Section 147, the Assessing Officer needs only prima facie material providing a reason to believe that income has escaped assessment. Conclusive proof or the sufficiency/correctness of the material is not required at the stage of issuing the notice under Section 148.

Raymond Woollen Mills Ltd. v. ITO
236 ITR 34 · 1999 · Supreme Court
862
citing judgments

For reassessment proceedings under Section 148, the Assessing Officer only needs prima facie material to have a reason to believe income has escaped assessment. Conclusive proof or evaluation of the sufficiency and correctness of such material is not required at the stage of issuing the notice.

ITO v. Lakhmani Mewal Das
103 ITR 437 · 1976 · Supreme Court
721
citing judgments

For reassessment proceedings, the 'reason to believe' that income has escaped assessment must be based on some material and not mere suspicion, establishing a live link between the information and the belief. Furthermore, for reassessment beyond four years, there must be a specific finding of the assessee's failure to disclose fully and truly all material facts.

CIT v. Jet Airways (I) Ltd.
331 ITR 236 · 2011 · High Court
694
citing judgments

The Assessing Officer loses jurisdiction and the entire reassessment becomes invalid if no addition is made in respect of the income that formed the basis of the reopening. Explanation 3 to Section 147 does not permit assessing other escaped income unless an addition is made for the original income forming the reason to believe.

PCIT v. Meenakshi Overseas Pvt. Ltd.
395 ITR 677 · 2017 · High Court
471
citing judgments

Reassessment proceedings initiated solely based on an investigation wing/appraisal report, without the Assessing Officer's independent application of mind to form a 'reason to believe' that income has escaped assessment, are beyond jurisdiction, bad in law, and void ab initio.

CIT v. Kelvinator of India Ltd.
256 ITR 1 · 2002 · High Court
439
citing judgments

An Assessing Officer cannot reopen an assessment under Section 147 based on a mere change of opinion regarding the same material available during the original assessment. Reopening requires fresh, tangible material or information that leads to a reason to believe income has escaped assessment.

Judgments citing reason to believe

Hmg Engineering Private Limited, Mumbai vs. Income-Tax Officer, Ward 1(1)(4), Mumbai

In the result, the appeal of the assessee is allowed

ITA 3012/MUM/2024[2012-13]Status: DisposedITAT Mumbai09 Jun 2025AY 2012-13

Bench: Shri Saktijit Dey & Shri Narendra Kumar Billaiyaआयकर अपील सुं./Ita No. 3012/Mum/2024 (नििाारण वर्ा / Assessment Year :2012-13) Hmg Engineering Pvt. Ltd. V/S. Ito, Ward (1)(1)(4) 1St Floor, Bandukwala बिाम Income Tax Department, Building, 14 British Hotel 531A 5Th Floor, Aayakar Lane, Off B S Marg, Fort, Bhawan, Maharishi Karve Maharashtra-400023 Road, Maharashtra- 400020 स्थायी लेखा सं./जीआइआर सं./Pan/Gir No: Aaach3226L Appellant/अपीलार्थी .. Respondent/प्रनिवादी निर्ााररती की ओर से /Assessee By: Shri Krutarth K. Desai राजस्व की ओर से /Revenue By: Shri Hemanshu Joshi

For Appellant: Shri Krutarth K. DesaiFor Respondent: Shri Hemanshu Joshi
Section 143(3)Section 147Section 148Section 41(1)

failure on the part of the assessee to disclose fully and truly all the material facts necessary for its assessment, the undersigned has reason to believe that the income chargeable to tax, amounting to Rs. 16,76,236/- has escaped assessment for A.Y. 2012-13, within the meaning of section ... escapement of income arising on account of non-filing of return or non-disclosure of material facts or the Assessing Officer should have reason to believe escapement in consequence of information in his possession. After the amendment, there is only one condition, that there is "reason to believe" escapement

My Healthskape Medicals Private Limited, Mumbai vs. Principal Commissioner of Income Tax Officer, Mumbai - 4, Mumbai

In the result, the appeal of the assessee is allowed

ITA 2120/MUM/2024[2015-16]Status: DisposedITAT Mumbai05 Jun 2025AY 2015-16

Bench: Shri Saktijit Dey & Shri Narendra Kumar Billaiyaआयकर अपील सुं./Ita No. 2120/Mum/2024 (नििाारण वर्ा / Assessment Year :2015-16) M/S. My Healthskape V/S. Pcit, Mumbai-4 Medicals Pvt. Ltd. बिाम Room No. 629, 6Th Floor, 4-425A, Sharma Industrial Aayakar Bhavan, Maharishi Estate, Walbhat Road, Karve Road, Mumbai- Goregaon (E), Mumbai- 400020 400063 स्थायी लेखा सं./जीआइआर सं./Pan/Gir No: Aadcm4683K Appellant/अपीलार्थी .. Respondent/प्रनिवादी निर्ााररती की ओर से /Assessee By: Shri Rakesh Joshi राजस्व की ओर से /Revenue By: Shri Ritesh Misra

For Appellant: Shri Rakesh JoshiFor Respondent: Shri Ritesh Misra
Section 12ASection 135Section 143(3)Section 147Section 148Section 263Section 35Section 35(1)(ii)Section 37Section 80G

years from the end of the relevant year has expired in this case, the requirement to initiate proceedings u/s.147 of the Act are reason to believe that income for the year under consideration has escaped assessment because of failure on the part of the assessee to disclose fully and truly ... diligence, accordingly attracting provisions of Explanation 1 of section 147 of the Act. 7. It is pertinent to mention here that reason to believe that income has escaped assessment for the year under consideration have been recorded in the above referred paragraph. I have carefully considered the assessment record containing

Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Circle-2, Ludhiana vs. Sportking India Limited, Village Kanech Gt Road

Appeal stands dismissed

ITA 16/CHANDI/2024[2011]Status: DisposedITAT Chandigarh04 Jun 2025

Bench: Hon’Ble Shri Rajpal Yadav & Hon’Ble Shri Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, Am आयकरअपीलसं./ Ita No. 16/Chandi/2024 (िनधा"रणवष" / Assessment Year: 2011-12) Dcit-Central Circle-2 M/S Sportking India Limited बनाम/ Sco 1-6, 3Rd Floor Village Kanech, Gt Road, Sahnewal Vs. Kichlu Nagar, Ludhiana-141001 Khurd, Punjab 141120 "थायीलेखासं./जीआइआरसं./Pan/Gir No. Aaacs-3037-Q (अपीलाथ"/Appellant) (""थ" / Respondent) : & आयकरअपीलसं./ Co No.30/Chandi/2024 (In Ita No.16/Chandi/2024) (िनधा"रणवष" / Assessment Year: 2011-12) M/S Sportking India Limited Dcit-Central Circle-2 बनाम/ Village Kanech, Gt Road, Sco 1-6, 3Rd Floor Vs. Sahnewal Khurd, Punjab 141120 Kichlu Nagar, Ludhiana-141001 "थायीलेखासं./जीआइआरसं./Pan/Gir No. Aaacs-3037-Q (अपीलाथ"/Appellant) : (""थ" / Respondent) Assessee By : Shri Ashwani Kumar (Ca) & Ms. Deepali Aggarwal (Ca) – Ld. Ars Revenue By : Smt. Kusum Bansal (Cit) – Ld. Dr सुनवाईकीतारीख/Date Of Hearing : 09-04-2025 घोषणाकीतारीख /Date Of Pronouncement : 04-06-2025 आदेश / O R D E R Manoj Kumar Aggarwal () 1. The Revenue Is In Further Appeal Before Us For Assessment Year (Ay) 2011-12 Against The Order Of Ld. Commissioner Of Income Tax

For Appellant: Shri Ashwani Kumar (CA) & Ms. DeepaliFor Respondent: Smt. Kusum Bansal (CIT) – Ld. DR
Section 132Section 133(6)Section 143(3)Section 148Section 153ASection 68

necessary for AO to establish beyond doubt that income had escaped assessment. At this stage, there should be prima facie reason to believe that certain income had escaped assessment. This condition was fulfilled. Accordingly, the legal ground was dismissed. 3.3 For merits, the assessee drew attention to the purchase documents