Unsigned Approval u/s 151 Vitiates Reassessment: ITAT Rajkot Quashes Reopenings in Classic Network Pvt. Ltd. Group Case

Classic Network Pvt. Ltd Vs DCIT (ITAT Rajkot) The Rajkot Bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Rajkot Bench decided a large batch of 14 cross-appeals involving Classic Network Pvt. Ltd. for AYs 2013-14 to 2019-20 (including a apenalty appeal u/s 270A) and delivered a consolidated order granting substantial relief to the assessee on jurisdictional grounds. For AYs 2013-14 and 2014-15, the core issue was the validity of reassessment proceedings u/s 147/148, where the statutory approval u/s 151 granted by the competent authority was found to be neither digitally signed nor manually signed....