Home Case Index All Cases Income Tax Income Tax + HC Income Tax - 2024 (3) TMI HC This
Forgot password New User/ Regiser ⇒ Register to get Live Demo
2024 (3) TMI 109 - HC - Income TaxPeriod of limitation to issue notice for reopening of assessment - whether notice is issued beyond the period of limitation provided for in Section 149? - applicability of Section 3 of TOLA - exclusion of Covid period - HELD THAT:- The validity of a notice must be judged on the basis of the law existing as on the date on which the notice is issued u/s 148 of the Act, which in the present case is 31st July 2022, by which time the Finance Act, 2021 is already on the statute and in terms thereof, no notice under Section 148 of the Act for AY 2014-15 could be issued on or after 1st April 2021 based on the first proviso to Section 149 of the Act. Therefore, the fifth proviso cannot apply in a case where the first proviso applies because, if a notice under Section 148 of the Act could not be issued beyond the time period provided in the first proviso, then the fifth proviso could not save such notices. The fifth proviso can only apply where one has to determine whether the time limit of three years and ten years in Section 149(1) of the Act are breached. The sixth proviso to Section 149 of the Act has no impact as it only provides a situation where after exclusion of the time period referred to in the fifth proviso, the time available with the Assessing Officer for passing an order under Section 148A(d) of the Act is less than 7 days, then the remaining time frame shall be extended to 7 days and limitation also stands extended by 7 days. The notice u/s 148 of the Act issued on 31st July 2022, therefore, is barred by limitation. As per the fifth proviso to Section 149 of the Act only the period from 24th May 2022 to 8th June 2022 can be excluded since the notice under Section 148A(b) of the Act has been issued for the first time on 24th May 2022 providing time to petitioner till 8th June 2022 to furnish a reply. The Revenue is seeking to exclude a period from 21st May 2021 to 4th May 2022 relying on Ashish Agarwal (2022 (5) TMI 240 - SUPREME COURT] which, as explained earlier, cannot apply. Hence, the impugned notice dated 31st July 2022 is bad in law. Decided in favour of assessee.
|