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2023 Supreme(All) 2378

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
ROHIT RANJAN AGARWAL, J.
Achal Kumar Agrawal - Petitioner
Versus
PR. Commissioner of Income Tax Gorakhpur and another - Respondents
WRIT TAX NO. - 385 OF 2017.
Decided On : 09-01-2023

Advocates appeared:
For the Petitioner: Vandeep Nath,Suyash Agarwal
For the Respondents: S.S.C.,Ashish Agrawal, C.S.C.

Headnote:(A) Income Tax Act - Section 148 - Notice not issued - Challenge to assessment order - The petitioner contended that no notice under Section 148 was issued to the Assessee for the assessment year 2007-08, and the Revisional Authority failed to address this issue. The court found that the notice was served, and the argument made was unsubstantiated as the findings of the Assessing Authority were not challenged by the Assessee. (Paras 3, 6, 7)

(B) Revisional Authority - Duty to decide grounds raised - It was mandatory for the Revisional Authority to consider the grounds raised in revision related to notice validity, which it failed to do. (Paras 3, 5)

(C) Legal maintainability - The court emphasized that bringing up a plea under Article 226 is not maintainable when the findings of the Assessing Authority were not challenged at previous forums. (Para 7)

Facts of the case:
The dispute arises from an initiated reassessment under Section 148 by the Income Tax Department for the assessment year 2007-08, with a claim that the Assessee did not receive the required notice. The Reviewing Authority dismissed the revision without addressing this claim.

Findings of Court:
The court affirmed that the notice was validly served as per the findings of the Assessing Authority and thus ineffectively contested. The Revisional Authority's dismissal of the revision was justified.

Issues: The primary issues addressed included the service of notice under Section 148 and the Revisional Authority's duty to consider grounds of revision.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that since there was no challenge to the findings of the Assessing Authority regarding notice service, the Revisional Authority's dismissal was justified and a new plea under Article 226 was not maintainable.

Result: Petition dismissed.

Table of Content
1. assessment proceedings initiated under section 148. (Para 2)
2. arguments regarding notice service validity. (Para 3 , 4)
3. court findings on notice and revisional authority's role. (Para 5 , 6 , 7)
4. petition dismissed for lack of merit. (Para 8)

JUDGMENT

Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, J.

Heard Sri Suyash Agarwal, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Ashish Agrawal, learned counsel appearing for respondents No.1 and 2.

2. Proceedings for reassessment under section 148 of the INCOME TAX ACT was initiated by the Income Tax Department by invoking relevant provisions and issuing notice and an assessment order was passed on 27.3.2015. The dispute is for the assessment year 2007-08.

3. Sri Suyash Agrawal, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that no notice under section 148 of the INCOME TAX ACT was issued to the Assessee. He further contended that against the assessment order, the Assessee had preferred revision under section 264 of the INCOME TAX ACT where a ground was taken in the memo of revision that notice under section 148 of the INCOME TAX ACT dated 27.3.2014 was not validly served. He further contends that the Revisional Authority without venturing into the grounds so raised by the Assessee petitioner, had rejected the revision. He contends that it was mandatory for the Revisional Authority to have decided the grounds so raised in the revision.

4. Per contra, Sri Ashish Agrawal, learned counsel appearing for the respondents invited the attention of the Court to the findings recorded by the Assessing Authority wherein categorical Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:4973 findings has been recorded by the Assessing Authority that the notice was served through speed post as well as by affixture but the Assessee did not turn up. He invited the attention of the Court to paras 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 of the assessment order, which is extracted hereasunder :

    "3.4 Again, notice under section 142(1) dated 23/02/2015 was issued fixing the date of hearing on 04/03/2015 but again no compliance.

    3.5 Inspector of this office vide his report dated 10/03/2015 intimated that at present, assessee is posted as Customs Superintendent, at Nepalganj Road, Baharaich, (U.P.). Accordingly, notices under section 142(1) dated 10/03/2015 were issued at the address of residence (i.e. at Shankar Sadan, Near: Microwave Station, P.O. Railway, Kasya Road, Gorakhpur) and office address at Bahraich but these notices were returned unserved with postal remarks as "Pavak ke gharwalaon ne lene se mana kiya......." "Praptkarta yehan maujud nahin hai" etc.

    3.6 However, when another notice under section 142(1) dated 10/03/2015, fixing the date of hearing on 16/03/2015 was served by affixure at Shankar Sadan, Gorakhpur on 13/03/2015 by the Inspector, assessee's letter dated 18/03/2015 was received in this office on 20/03/2015 intimating that assessee has received a call from Shankar Sadan, Gorakpur, (a proof enough to establish that persons of both places are well acquainted) and requesting for another date which could not be allowed at this juncture when the case is to be barred by limitation on 31/03/2015. In fact to move application so late for fixing another date is merely a ploy to scuttle the assessment proceedings. Here, mention must be made that show cause notices under section 144 giving assessee a final opportunity of being heard with proposal of addition had already been issued on 19/03/2015 fixing the date of hearing on 26/03/2015 which were also received back unserved."

5. He further contends that the findings recorded by the Assessing Authority was not put to challenge by the Assessee before the Revisional Authority and once the finding has not been assailed, the Revisional Authority has not recorded any finding as to the service of notice.

6. After hearing the counsel for the respective parties and perusal of record I find that the assessment order dated 27.3.2015 takes note of the fact that the notice issued under section 1

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