TMI Blog2014 (11) TMI 134X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n the ground that the order passed is not a draft assessment order, rather it is a final order. Where there is an omission on the part of the AO to follow the mandatory procedures prescribed in the Act, such an omission cannot be termed as a mere procedural irregularity and it cannot be cured - the website of the department indicate the amount determined by the second respondent payable by the company inspite of issuance of the corrigendum on 15.04.2013 as a tax due amount - while issuing the corrigendum, the second respondent did not even withdraw the taxable amount determined by him or updated the status in the website - such an order passed by the second respondent can only be construed as a final order passed in violation of the statutory provisions of the Act - The corrigendum dated 15.04.2013 is also beyond the period prescribed for limitation - Such a defect or failure on the part of the second respondent to adhere to the statutory provisions is not a curable defect by virtue of the corrigendum dated 15.04.2013 – CIT(A) was clearly in error in equating the show cause notice with a draft assessment order against, and rationalizing the assessment order - In a case in which ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e a draft assessment order, before passing a final assessment order. The assessee was thus deprived of an opportunity of approaching the Dispute Resolution Panel. Aggrieved by the order so passed by the Assessing Officer, assessee carried the matter in appeal before the CIT(A) and raised, inter alia, his grievance against the assessee not being furnished a draft assessment order. Learned CIT(A) rejected this grievance and, while doing so, observed as follows: 3.2 I have considered the issue and the submissions made by the AR. For the sake of ready reference, the relevant portions of section 144C are reproduced hereunder :- 144C. (1) The Assessing Officer shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, in the first instance, forward a draft of the proposed order of assessment (hereafter in this section referred to as the draft order) to the eligible assessee if he propose to make, on or after the 1st day of October, 2009, any variation in the income or loss returned which is prejudicial to the interest of such assessee. (2) On receipt of the draft order, the eligible assessee shall, within thirty days of the receipt by him of the draft order,- (a) ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... al on record and duly considered factual matrix of the case as also the applicable legal position. 7. We find that the issue is covered is now covered in favour in of the assessee by judgment of Hon ble Madras High Court, in the case of Vijay Television Pvt Ltd Vs DRP [(2014) 46 taxmann.100 (Mad)], wherein Hon ble High Court has, inter alia, observed as follows: 20. Under Section 144 (C) of the Act, it is evident that the assessing officer is required to pass only a draft assessment order on the basis of the recommendations made by the TPO after giving an opportunity to the assessee to file their objections and then the assessing officer shall pass a final order. According to the learned senior counsel for the petitioners, this procedure has not been followed by the second respondent inasmuch as a final order has been straightaway passed without passing a draft assessment order. 21. As rightly pointed out by the learned senior counsel for the petitioners, in the order passed on 26.03.2013, the second respondent even raised a demand as also imposed penalty. Such demand has to be raised only after a final order has been passed determining the tax liability. The very fact tha ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... is context, it is worthwhile to refer to the decision of the Honourable Supreme Court in the decision Deepak Agro Foods (supra) wherein in Para No.10, the Honourable Supreme Court discussed as to when an order could be construed as a final order: 10. Shri Rajiv Dutta, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant, submitted that in the light of its afore-extracted observations and a clear finding that the assessment order for the assessment year 1995-96 had been anti-dated, the order was null and void. It was urged that assessment proceedings after the expiry of the period of limitation being a nullity in law, the High Court should have annulled the assessment and there was no question of a fresh assessment. Thus, the nub of the grievance of the appellant is that in remanding the matter back to the Assessing Officer, the High Court has not only extended the statutory period prescribed for completion of assessment, it has also conferred jurisdiction upon the Assessing Officer, which he otherwise lacked on the expiry of the said period. 23. It is evident from the above decision of the Honourable Supreme Court that if an order is passed beyond the statutory peri ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n 148 of the Income Tax Act is a jurisdictional notice and it is not curable by issuing a notice under Section 292 B of the Act, if it was not served in accordance with the provisions of the Act. 27. Similarly, the Division Bench of this Court in the decision in the case of V. Ramaiah (supra) Madras held that when an order is passed under Section 158BC of the Act instead of Section 158BD, it is not valid since it is not a defect curable under Section 292B of the Act. It was also held that an order passed after the period of limitation laid down in Section 158BC is not a valid order. It was further held that when there is a prescribed procedure contemplated under the Act or in a particular section and it is violated, then it cannot be cured. In the present case, certain procedure has been contemplated under Section 144C of the Act and they have been violated by the second respondent by passing final order of assessment and therefore such order passed by the second rspondent has got no jurisdiction or it can be cured by virtue of issuing a corrigendum. 28. By referring to the decision of the Division Bench of this Court dated 10.02.2014 passed in Tax Case (Appeal) No. 2412 of 2 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... (2) cannot be a procedural irregularity and is not curable. 30. It is evident from the above decision of the Division Bench of this Court that where there is an omission on the part of the assessing officer to follow the mandatory procedures prescribed in the Act, such an omission cannot be termed as a mere procedural irregularity and it cannot be cured. 31. In identical case as that of the case on hand, the Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in an unreported decision, had an occasion to consider the scope of the validity of the demand notice issued by the assessing officer in the case of Zuari Cement Ltd. (supra), wherein it was held as under: A reading of the above section shows that if the assessing officer proposes to make, on or after 01.10.2009, any variation in the income or loss returned by an assessee, then, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Act, he shall first pass a draft assessment order, forward it to the assessee and after the assessee files his objections, if any, the assessing officer shall complete assessment within one month. The assessee is also given an option to file objections before the Dispute Resolution Pane ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... contrary to the express language in S.144C(1) and the said view of the Revenue is unacceptable. The circular may represent only the understanding of the Board/Central Government of the statutory provisions, but it will not bind this Court or the Supreme Court. It cannot interfere with the jurisdiction and power of this Court to declare what the legislature says and take a view contrary to that declared in the circular of the CBDT (Ratan Melting and Wire Industries Case (1 Supra), Indra Industries (2 supra). The Revenue has not been able to pursuade us to take a contra view by citing any authority. In this view of the matter, we are of the view that the impugned order of assessment dated 23.12.2011 passed by the respondent is contrary to the mandatory provisions of S.144C of the Act and is passed in violation thereof. Therefore, it is declared as one without jurisdiction, null and void and unenforceable. Consequently, the demand notice dated 23.12.2011 issued by the respondent is set aside. 32. As against this order of the Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Revenue went on appeal before the Honourable Supreme Court. The record of proceedings of the Supreme C ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... novo. 9. We are, however, unable to see any legally sustainable merits in the stand so taken by the learned Departmental Representative. Hon ble High Court s esteemed views, as extracted above, bind us and we have to respectfully follow the same. Accordingly, in due deference to this binding judicial precedent, and other binding judicial precedents referred to therein, we quash the impugned assessment order. It is a legal nullity. As for the show cause notice issued by the Assessing Officer, before making the ALP adjustment, this cannot be treated as a draft assessment order nor the assessee could have approached the DRP against the same. Learned CIT(A) was thus clearly in error in equating the show cause notice with a draft assessment order against, and thus rationalizing the impugned assessment order. The stand of the CIT(A) cannot be upheld. In a case in which no draft assessment order is furnished to the assessee, to which assessee is entitled under section 144C (15), the assessment order passed by the AO is to be held is illegal and liable to be quashed on this ground alone. We do so. 10. As the assessment order itself is quashed, all other grievances, which deal with t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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