2022 Supreme(Raj) 34
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR
MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, MADAN GOPAL VYAS, JJ.
Ambiance Home Furnishing Private Limited - Appellant
Versus
Union of India, Through Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Govt. of India and Ors. - Respondents
D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 2353 of 2022
Decided On : 18-02-2022
Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Sharad Kothari.
Headnote:
Finance Act, 2021 - 148A, 148, 149 - Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 14 - Relaxation Act, 2020 - Section 3(1) – Euality before Law - Notice of re-assessment - Delegated legislation notifications - Petitioner has challenged notice of re-assessment for assessment year 2017-18, which notice was issued - Learned counsel for petitioner pointed out that issues involved in petition are squarely covered by recent judgment of Division Bench – Held, As a piece of delegated legislation notifications issued in exercise of such powers, had to be within confines of such powers - In plain terms under subsection (1) of Section 3 of Relaxation Act, 2020 Government of India was authorized to extend time limits by issuing notifications in this regard - Issuing any explanation touching provisions of Income Tax Act was not part of this delegation at all - CBDT while issuing the notifications and when introduced an explanation which provided by way of clarification that for purposes of issuance of notice under Section 148 as per time limits specified in Section 149 or 151, provisions as they stood as before commencement of Finance Act, 2021 shall apply, plainly exceeded its jurisdiction as a subordinate legislation - Subordinate legislation could not have travelled beyond powers vested in Government of India by parent Act - Even otherwise it is extremely doubtful whether explanation in guise of clarification can change very basis of statutory provisions - If plain meaning of statutory provision and its interpretation is clear, by adopting a position different in an explanation and describing it to be clarificatory, subordinate legislature cannot be permitted to amend provisions of parent Act - Accordingly, these explanations are unconstitutional and declared as invalid - Petition disposed off.
ORDER :
1. The petitioner has challenged the notice of re-assessment for the assessment year 2017-18, which notice was issued on 30.06.2021. Learned counsel for the petitioner pointed out that the issues involved in the petition are squarely covered by the recent judgment of the Division Bench dated 27.01.2022 in the case of Sudesh Taneja v. Income Tax officer and others [D.B. Civil Writ Petition No.969/2022], in which the Division Bench in identical circumstances quashed the impugned notices of re-assessment making following observations:-
"37. In this context we have perused the provisions of reassessment contained in the Finance Act, 2021. We have noticed earlier the major departure that the new scheme of reassessment has made under these provisions. The time limits for issuing notice for reassessment have been changed. The concept of income chargeable to tax escaping assessment on account of failure on the part of the assessee to disclose truly or fully all material facts is no longer relevant. Elaborate provisions are made under Section 148A of the Act enabling the Assessing officer to make enquiry with respect to material suggesting that income has escaped assessment, issuance of notice to the assessee calling upon why notice under Section 148 should not be issued and passing an order considering the material available on record including response of the assessee if made while deciding whether the case is fit for issuing notice under Section 148. There is absolutely no indication in all these provisions which would suggest that the legislature intended that the new scheme of reopening of assessments would be applicable only to the period post 01.04.2021. In absence of any such indication all notices which were issued after 01.04.2021 had to be in accordance with such provisions. To reiterate, we find no indication whatsoever in the scheme of statutory provisions suggesting that the past provisions would continue to apply even after the substitution for the assessment periods prior to substitution. In fact there are strong indications to the contrary. We may recall, that time limits for issuing notice under Section 148 of the Act have been modified under substituted Section 149. Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 149 reduces such period to three years instead of originally prevailing four years under normal circumstances. Clause (b) extends the upper limit of six years previously prevailing to ten years in cases where income chargeable to tax which has escaped assessment amounts to or is likely to amount to 50 lacs or more. Sub-section (1) of Section 149 thus contracts as well as expands the time limit for issuing notice under Section 148 depending on the question whether the case falls under clause (a) or clause (b). In this context the first proviso to Section 149(1) provides that no notice under Section 148 shall be issued at any time in a case for the relevant assessment year beginning on or before 01.04.2021 if such notice could not have been issued at that time on account of being beyond the time limit specified under the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 149 as they stood immediately before the commencement of the Finance Act, 2021. As per this proviso thus no notice under Section 148 would be issued for the past assessment years by resorting to the larger period of limitation prescribed in newly substituted clause (b) of Section 149(1). This would indicate that the notice that would be issued after 01.04.2021 would be in terms of the substituted Section 149(1) but without breaching the upper time limit provided in the original Section 149(1) which stood substituted. This aspect has also been highlighted in the memorandum explaining the proposed provisions in the Finance Bill. If according to the revenue for past period provisions of section 149 before amendment were applicable, this first proviso to section 149(1) was wholly unnecessary. Looked from both angles, namely, no indication of su
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