Kerala HC Grants Fresh Chance to Explain 542-Day Delay in Income Tax Appeal Before ITAT

Chathamangalam Service Co-Op. Bank Ltd Vs ACIT (Kerala High Court) The Kerala High Court considered an appeal against an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Cochin Bench, which had refused to admit a statutory appeal for the Assessment Year 2015–16 due to an unexplained delay of 542 days. The Tribunal found the explanation for the delay to be lacking credibility, as the appellant merely stated that its work had been outsourced to an external agency without providing basic details such as the agency’s identity or relevant particulars. The appellant’s counsel conceded that t...