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TMI Blog2021 (2) TMI 181X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ach of these companies. The assessees objected and submitted that DCIT, Circle-1, Kolkata has no jurisdiction of the assessee. Thereafter, the file of the assessee was transferred to DCIT-13(1), Kolkata as the assessee companies are located in Howrah. The DCIT-13(1), Kolkata did not issue fresh notice u/s 143(2) of the Act to any of these companies. He completed the assessment u/s 143(3) of the Act inter alia making certain additions u/s 68 of the Act. 2.2. Aggrieved, all these companies carried the matter in appeal before the ld. CIT(A). They submitted that the assessment order was bad in law as the ld. DCIT-13(1), Kolkata did not issue any notice u/s 143(2) of the Act as statutorily required. He argued that the notice u/s 143(2) of the Act by DCIT, Circle-1, Kolkata, was without jurisdiction and hence the assessment order passed u/s 143(3) of the Act by the AO having jurisdiction of the assessee i.e. DCIT-13(1), Kolkata without issue of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act is bad in law. 2.3. He further submitted that the assessee's income in each of these four cases is Rs.1,15,850/- in the case of Bhagyalaxmi Conclave Pvt. Ltd., Rs.29,210/- in the case of Dhanlaxmi Conclave Pvt. Ltd. ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... urisdiction of these assessees, based on monetary limits lies with the ITO and not with the DCIT. This fact could not be controverted by the ld. D/R. CBDT instructions are binding on all the Income Tax Authorities. 5.2. The assessee relied on the recent decision of this Tribunal in the case of Hillman Hosiery Mills Pvt. Ltd. vs. DCIT, in ITA No. 2634/Kol/2019, order dated 12.01.2021. We find that the issues that arise in this appeal are clearly covered in favour of the assessee. This order followed the principles of law laid down in a number of other decisions of the ITAT, Kolkata Bench on this issue. 5.3. Kolkata "B" Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Hillman Hosiery Mills Pvt. Ltd.(supra) held as follows: "10. In this case, the ITO Ward-3(3), Kolkata, issued notice u/s 143(2) of the Act on 04/09/2014. In reply, on 22/09/2014, the assessee wrote to the ITO, Ward-3(3), Kolkata, stating that he has no jurisdiction over the assessee. Thereafter on 31/07/2015, the DCIT, Circle-11(1), Kolkata, had issued notice u/s 142(1) of the Act to the assessee. The DCIT, Circle- 11(1), Kolkata, completed assessment u/s 143(3) of the Act on 14/03/2016. The issue is whether an assessment orde ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... been issued by the ITO, Wd-1(1), Durgapur. Later, the case was transferred to the jurisdiction of the ACIT on 11/08/2017. Thereafter, no notice u/s 143(2) of the Act was issued by the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction of this case and who had completed the assessment on 26/12/2017 i.e., ACIT, Circle-1(1), Durgapur. Under these circumstances, the question is whether the assessment is bad in law for want of issual of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act. 9. This Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Shri Sukumar Ch. Sahoo vs. ACIT in ITA No. 2073/Kol/2016 order dt. 27.09.2017, held as follows:- "5. From a perusal of the above Instruction of the CBDT it is evident that the pecuniary jurisdiction conferred by the CBDT on ITOs is in respect to the 'non corporate returns' filed where income declared is only upto Rs. 15 lacs ; and the ITO doesn't have the jurisdiction to conduct assessment if it is above Rs. 15 lakhs. Above Rs. 15 lacs income declared by a non- corporate person i.e. like assessee, the pecuniary jurisdiction lies before AC/DC. In this case, admittedly, the assessee an individual (non corporate person) who undisputedly declared income of Rs. 50,28,040/- in his r ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tion after the time prescribed for issuance of notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act notice became qoarum non judice after the limitation prescribed by the statute was crossed by him. Therefore, the issuance of notice by the ACIT, Circle-27, Haldia after the limitation period for issuance of statutory notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act has set in, goes to the root of the case and makes the notice bad in the eyes of law and consequential assessment order passed u/s. 143(3) of the Act is not valid in the eyes of law and, therefore, is null and void in the eyes of law. Therefore, the legal issue raised by the assessee is allowed. Since we have quashed the assessment and the appeal of assessee is allowed on the legal issue, the other grounds raised by the assessee need not to be adjudicated because it is only academic. Therefore, the additional ground raised by the assessee is allowed. 7. In the result, appeal of assessee is allowed. 9.1. This Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Krishnendu Chowdhury vs. ITO reported in [2017] 78 taxmann.com 89 (Kolkata-Trib.) held as follows:- "Return of income of assessee was Rs. 12 lakhs - As per CBDT instruction, jurisdiction for scrutiny assessment ves ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tted that issuance of notice under Section 143(2) of the Act being prerequisite, in the absence of such notice, the entire proceedings would be invalid. 8. The law on the point as regards applicability of the requirement of notice under Section 143(2) of the Act is quite clear from the decision in Hotel Blue Moon's case (supra). The issue that however needs to be considered is the impact of Section 292BB of the Act. 9. According to Section 292BB of the Act, if the assessee had participated in the proceedings, by way of legal fiction, notice would be deemed to be valid even if there be infractions as detailed in said Section. The scope of the provision is to make service of notice having certain infirmities to be proper and valid if there was requisite participation on part of the assessee. It is, however, to be noted that the Section does not save complete absence of notice. For Section 292BB to apply, the notice must have emanated from the department. It is only the infirmities in the manner of service of notice that the Section seeks to cure. The Section is not intended to cure complete absence of notice itself." 10. Respectfully following the propositions of law laid d ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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