If AO accepts objections of assessee and does not assess or reassess the income which was the basis of notice than he cannot made additions on other issues

Yashoda Shivappa Nagangoudar Vs ITO (Bombay High Court)

Mr. Walve submitted that as per explanation 3 to Section 147 of the Act, the Assessing Officer may assess or re-assess the income in respect of any issue which has escaped assessment even if such issue comes to his notice subsequently in the course of proceedings under this section, notwithstanding that the reasons for such issue have not been included in the reasons recorded under Sub Section 2 of the Section 148 of the Act.

Though, there cannot be any dispute on this statement of Mr. Walve, explanation 3 presupposes that the notice which has been issued was a valid notice. As per explanation 3 it empowers the Assessing Officer to assess or re-assess the income in respect of any issue that comes to his notice subsequently in the course of the proceedings under Section 147 of the Act but if the proceedings under Section 148 of the Act itself has been initiated wrongly, the question of any new issue that would come to his notice subsequently during the course of proceedings under Section 147 of the Act would not arise. The assessment or reassessment must be in respect of the income in respect of which he has formed a reason to believe that it has escaped assessment and also in respect of which comes to his notice subsequently during the course of the any other income proceedings as having escaped assessment. If the income, the escapement of which was the basis of the formation of the reason to believe is not assessed or reassessed, it would not be open to the Assessing Officer to independently assess only that income which comes to his notice subsequently in the course of the proceedings under the section as having escaped assessment. If upon the issuance of a notice under section 148(2), the Assessing Officer accepts the objections of the assessee and does not assess or reassess the income which was the basis of the notice, it would not be open to him to assess income under some other issue independently.

Petition disposed with no order as to costs.

FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGMENT/ORDER OF BOMBAY HIGH COURT

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