Under the provisions of section 144C of the Income-tax Act where an eligible assessee files an objection against the draft assessment order before the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP), then, the time limit for completion of assessments are as provided in section 144C notwithstanding anything in section 153. A similar provision is proposed to be made where assessments are framed as a result of search and seizure to provide that for such assessments, time limit specified in section 144C will apply, notwithstanding anything in section 153B.
It is also proposed to provide for exclusion of such orders passed by the Assessing Officer in pursuance of the directions of the DRP, from the appellate jurisdiction of the Commissioner (Appeals) and to provide for filing of appeals directly to ITAT against such orders. Accordingly, consequential amendments are proposed to be made in the provisions of section 246A and 253 of the Income-tax Act.
These amendments in the provisions of the Income-tax Act will take effect retrospectively from the 1st day of October, 2009.
