Income Tax Notice challenged after 10 Months: Calcutta HC imposes Rs. 5000 on Assessee [Read Order]

The Calcutta High Court has imposed a cost of Rs. 5,000 on the assessee for challenging a re-assessment notice issued under section 148/147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 after a delay of ten months from the date of receipt.

The petitioner, Orion Book Binders Private Limited, has challenged the notice under section 148 of the Income Tax, 1961 which was issued after 31st March 2021 with supporting documents on the grounds that this case clearly falls under the newly amended Act relating to proceedings under section 147 of the Act and under which there is a mandatory obligation on the part of the assessing officer to issue notice under section 148A of the Act before issuing any notice under section 148 of the Act and which has admittedly not done by the assessing officer and that the impugned notice under section 148 of the Act has been issued violation of section 148 of the Act.

Justice Md. Nizamuddin observed that thes case is directly covered by the orders of this court in the case of Bagaria Properties and Investment Private Limited & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. and also in the case of Monoj Jain v. Union of India & Ors.

Quashing the notice, the bench observed that “Considering the facts, the impugned notice under section 148 of the Act and all subsequent proceedings are quashed. However, quashing of the impugned notice and subsequent proceedings will not debar the assessing officer concerned to issue any fresh notice in future in accordance with law.”

Concluding the order, the Court imposed a cost on the assessee and observed that “This writ petition is allowed subject to payment of costs of Rs.5,000/- to the Calcutta High Court Bar Association Lawyers’ Benevolent Fund, since the impugned notice under section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 has been issued on April 8, 2021 as appears from record and this writ petition has been filed in March 2022, that is, almost after ten months from receipt of the impugned notice, without any explanation for such delay in filing this writ petition. Such costs has to be paid by the petitioner to the Calcutta High Court Bar Association Lawyers’ Benevolent Fund within seven days from date. Receipt of payment is to be produced before this court.”

To Read the full text of the Order CLICK HERE

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