Rationalisation of the provisions in respect of time limits for completion of search assessment
The existing provisions of section 153B provide for the time limit for completion of assessment under section 153A.
Since the time limit for completion of assessment under section 153 is proposed to be rationalised, the time limit for completion of assessment under section 153A is also proposed to be consequentially rationalised. It is accordingly proposed to amend sub-section (1) of the said section to provide that for search and seizure cases conducted in the financial year 2018-19, the time limit for making an assessment order under section 153A shall be reduced from existing twenty-one months to eighteen months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed. It is further proposed that for search and seizure cases conducted in the financial year 2019-20 and onwards, the said time limit shall be further reduced to twelve months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed.
It is further proposed to provide that period of limitation for making the assessment or reassessment in case of other person referred to in section 1 53C, shall be the period available to make assessment or reassessment in case of person on whom search is conducted or twelve months from the end of the financial year in which books of accounts or documents or assets seized or requisitioned are handed over under section 1 53C to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over such other persons, whichever is later.
It is also proposed to insert a proviso to the Explanation of the said section to provide that where a proceeding before the Settlement Commission abates under section 245HA, the period of limitation available under this section for assessment or reassessment shall after the exclusion of the period under sub-section (4) of section 245HA shall not be less than one year; and where such period of limitation is less than one year, it shall be deemed to have been extended to one year.
These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2017.
It is also proposed to amend sub-section (3) of section 1 53B to provide that where a notice under section 1 53A or section 1 53C has been issued prior to 1st day of June, 2016 and the assessment has not been completed by such date due to exclusion of time referred to in the Explanation, such assessment shall be completed in accordance with the provisions of this section as it stood immediately before its substitution by the Finance Act, 2016.
This amendment will take effect retrospectively from 1st June, 2016.
[Clause 60]
Extract of relevant clause from Finance Bill, 2017
Amendment of section 153B.
60. In section 153B of the Income-tax Act,—
(a) in sub-section (1),—
(i) in clause (a), after the words “six assessment years”, the words “and for the relevant assessment year or years” shall be inserted;
(ii) for the second and third provisos, the following provisos shall be substituted, namely:—
‘Provided further that in the case where the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed during the financial year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2018,—
(i) the provisions of clause (a) or clause (b) of this sub-section shall have effect, as if for the words “twenty-one months”, the words “eighteen months” had been substituted;
(ii) the period of limitation for making the assessment or reassessment in case of other person referred to in section 153C, shall be the period of eighteen months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed or twelve months from the end of the financial year in which books of account or documents or assets seized or requisitioned are handed over under section 153C to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over such other person, whichever is later:
Provided also that in the case where the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed during the financial year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 2019,—
(i) the provisions of clause (a) or clause (b) of this sub-section shall have effect, as if for the words “twenty-one months”, the words “twelve months” had been substituted;
(ii) the period of limitation for making the assessment or reassessment in case of other person referred to in section 153C, shall be the period of twelve months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed or twelve months from the end of the financial year in which books of account or documents or assets seized or requisitioned are handed over under section 153C to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over such other person, whichever is later:
Provided also that in case where the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed and during the course of the proceedings for the assessment or reassessment of total income, a reference under sub-section (1) of section 92CA is made, the period available for making an order of assessment or reassessment shall be extended by twelve months:
Provided also that in case where during the course of the proceedings for the assessment or reassessment of total income in case of other person referred to in section 153C, a reference under sub-section (1) of section 92CA is made, the period available for making an order of assessment or reassessment in case of such other person shall be extended by twelve months.’;
(b) in sub-section (3), the following proviso shall be inserted and shall be deemed to have been inserted with effect from the 1st day of June, 2016, namely:—
“Provided that where a notice under section 153A or section 153C has been issued prior to the 1st day of June, 2016 and the assessment has not been completed by such date due to exclusion of time referred to in the Explanation, such assessment shall be completed in accordance with the provisions of this section as it stood immediately before its substitution by the Finance Act, 2016.”;
(c) in the Explanation, after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:—
“Provided also that where a proceeding before the Settlement Commission abates under section 245HA, the period of limitation available under this section to the Assessing Officer for making an order of assessment or reassessment, as the case may be, shall, after the exclusion of the period under sub-section (4) of section 245HA, be not less than one year; and where such period of limitation is less than one year, it shall be deemed to have been extended to one year.”.
