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2025 Supreme(Kar) 2329

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
S.R. KRISHNA KUMAR, J.
M/s Hotel Q Star – Appellant 
Versus 
The Deputy Commissioner Of Income Tax – Respondent 
WRIT PETITION NO. 35591 OF 2025 (T-IT)
Decided On : 11-12-2025

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant :Sri. A. Shankar, Senior Advocate For Sri. Madhusudhan .U.A, Advocate
For the Respondent:Sri. M. Dilip, Advocate

Assessing Officer lacks jurisdiction to issue notices post-faceless assessment scheme under Income Tax Act; all related proceedings quashed.

Headnote:(A) Income Tax Act, 1961 - Sections 147, 148, 148A, 156, 271AAC - Jurisdiction of Assessing Officer - Writ petition allowed on grounds of lack of jurisdiction in issuing notices under section 148 and assessments made by the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer post-faceless scheme implementation - Notably, similar case references supporting this finding were discussed. (Paras 5, 13, 15)

(B) Administrative Law - Writ of Certiorari - A writ of certiorari was issued quashing several assessment orders and notices issued between the assessment years 2016-2019 as the authority lacked jurisdiction to initiate proceedings. (Paras 14, 15)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner challenged multiple assessment orders and notices issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax for assessment years 2016-17 to 2018-19 on grounds of improper issuance and jurisdictional challenges arising from the implementation of the faceless scheme. There was a ruling from a Coordinate Bench quashing similar notices, which formed the basis of this petition. (Paras 3, 4)

Findings of Court:
The Court articulated that the impugned notices and orders were set aside due to jurisdictional flaws in the issuance, aligning with prior judgments on the issue. (Paras 15, 16)

Issues: The primary issue was the jurisdiction of the Assessing Officer to issue notices under Section 148 given the procedural changes post-faceless scheme implementation. Proper jurisdiction was established as being exclusively with a granted faceless authority. (Paras 11, 12)

Ratio Decidendi: The court reaffirmed that assessment notices lacked jurisdiction since they were issued by the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer instead of the mandated faceless authority post the faceless assessment scheme's introduction. All prior related proceedings were quashed. (Para 15)

Result: The writ petition was allowed and notices issued against the petitioner were set aside.

Table of Content
1. petitioner seeks multiple writs for quashing tax assessments. (Para 1)
2. petitioner has pending appeals against tax assessment orders. (Para 3 , 4)
3. relevant case law cited to challenge jurisdiction. (Para 5)
4. respondent argues lack of merit in petition. (Para 6)
5. court notes consistent legal findings on jurisdiction. (Para 8)
6. writ petitions covered by existing case law precedent. (Para 9)
7. court quashes impugned notices based on jurisdiction. (Para 10)

ORDER :

S.R. KRISHNA KUMAR, J.

In this petition, petitioner seeks for the following reliefs:

"i) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the assessment order dated 07.03.2024 passed under section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2016-17 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Order No.ITBA/AST/S/147/2023-24/1062152666(1) herein marked as Annexure A1.

b) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the corrigendum dated 24.03.2024 of the assessment order passed under section 143(3) r.w.s 147 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Letter No.ITBA/COM/F/17/2023- 24/1063298040(1) along with assessment order herein marked as Annexure- A2.

c) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the computation sheet dated 07.03.2024 for the assessment year 2016-17 issued by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & DocumentNo.ITBA/AST/S/115/2023-24/1062153093 (1) herein marked as Annexure - A3.

d) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the notice of demand dated 07.03.2024 issued under section 156 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2016- 17 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Notice No.ITBA/AST/156/2023-24/1062152810(1) herein marked as Annexure - A4.

e) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the penalty notice dated 09.03.2024 issued under section 274 r.w.s. 271AAC(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2016-17 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Notice No. ITBA/PNL/S/271AAC(1)/ 2023-24/1062311617(1) herein marked as Annexure - A5.

f) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the assessment order dated 06.03.2024 passed under section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2017- 18 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Order No. ITBA/AST/S/147/2023-24/1062118039(1) herein marked as Annexure - B1.

g) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the corrigendum dated 23.03.2024 of the assessment order passed under section 143(3) r.w.s 147 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Letter No.ITBA/COM/F/17/2023- 24/1063276042(1) along with assessment order herein marked as Annexure - B2.

h) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the computation sheet dated 06.03.2024 for the assessment year 2017-18 issued by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Document No.ITBA/AST/S/215/2023-24/10621180 84(1) herein marked as Annexure - B3.

i) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the notice of demand dated 06.03.2024 issued under section 156 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2017-18 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Notice No.ITBA/AST/156/2023-24/1062118177(1) herein marked as Annexure - B4.

j) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the penalty notice dated 09.03.2024 issued under section 274 r.w.s. 271AAC(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the assessment year 2017-18 by the Respondent No.1 bearing DIN & Notice No. herein ITBA/PNL/S/271AAC (1)/2023-24/1062312291(1) marked as Annexure B5.

k) Issue a writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a writ of certiorari quashing the assessment order dated 20.03.2024 passed under section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the asses

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