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2022 (3) TMI 536 - HC - Income TaxRe-assessment proceedings notice u/s 148 - scope of newly inserted section 148-A - according to the petitioner no notice directly under section 148 of the Act, 1961 could have been issued on 16/04/2021 when the old section 148 stood omitted upon insertion of new section 148-A which came into force with effect from 1/04/2021 - HELD THAT:- As newly inserted section 148-A now specifically provides for issuance of a notice if the Assessing Officer takes a decision to initiate re-assessment and therefore, a procedure has been laid down under section 148-A which is required to be adhered to by the AO after 1/04/2021 i.e. the date on which the Finance Act, 2021 came into force. The parties were heard and during the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent/revenue Shri Sanjay Lal produced a letter dated 24/02/2022 bearing no. 1002 issued by Income Tax Officer - 3 (1) of Bhopal which was addressed to the counsel for the revenue and in the said letter it was stated that though in the notice which was issued to the petitioner herein, the date was mentioned as 31/03/2021 but, the system of the office of the respondents revealed that the Email to the petitioner was infact sent on 16/04/2021. Thus, the counsel for respondent does not dispute that the notice which is impugned in the petition contained in Annexure P/1 infact was issued on 16/04/2021 though the date on the same was mentioned as 31/03/2021 but was issued later on 6/04/2021. In view of the aforesaid letter so produced before us dated 24/02/2022 and in view of the admission by the counsel for respondents, we have no hesitation to hold that the impugned notice is bad in the eye of law, contained in Annexure P/1 dated 31/03/2021 (received by the petitioner on 16/04/2021 through Email) inasmuch as after 1/04/2021, it is mandatory requirement that prior to re-assessment proceedings notice under section 148-A of Income Tax Act, 1961 should be issued to assessee. Since now in view of the admission by the respondents the other reliefs as sought for by the petitioner in the relief clause have become redundant inasmuch as now there is no dispute about the date of issuance of the impugned notice. Accordingly, the impugned notice dated 31/03/2021 (served through Email to the petitioner on 16/04/2021) stands quashed. However, it is left open for the respondents to take recourse to the procedure laid down in newly enacted section 148-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 if it is required under the law.
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