Case Law Details
M/s K.P. Cold Storage Vs ITO (ITAT Agra)
Conclusion: Where no notice under section 148 is issued or if the notice so issued is shown to be invalid, or the service of notice so issued, is shown to be invalid, AO could not proceed with the subsequent proceedings for making assessment, reassessment or re-computation under section 147. Unless, the notice was served on the proper person in the manner prescribed under section 282, the service was insufficient and AO did not have jurisdiction to re-assess the escaped income.
Held: In the present case AO on basis of information received from the ADIT(Inv.) that there were huge cash deposits in the bank accounts maintained by assessee during the period F.Y 2008-09, had issued notice under section 148 which culminated into assessment framed determining total income at Rs. 2,21,60,400/- as against Rs.12,45,390/- originally returned by assessee. Assessee contended that no notice under section 148 was served upon assessee and ex-parte assessment was completed without serving any notice under section 148 till the completion of assessment which rendered the assessment order to be held void-ab-initio. It was held a valid service of a valid notice under section 148, is not a mere procedural requirement, but is a condition precedent to the validity of any assessment, reassessment or re-computation to be made under section 147 and it is so because of the use of words “shall serve on the assessee” and also the requirement to the effect “before making the assessment, reassessment or re-computation under section 147” in the section itself- meaning thereby that if no notice under section 148 is issued or if the notice so issued is shown to be invalid, or the service of notice so issued, is shown to be invalid,AO could not proceed with the subsequent proceedings for making assessment, reassessment or re-computation under section 147. Unless, the notice was served on the proper person in the manner prescribed under section 282, the service was insufficient and AO did not have jurisdiction to re-assess the escaped income. Thus, the service of notice under section 148 was no service in the eye of law and all subsequent proceedings including the ex parte assessment framed on 21.12.2016 in assessee’s case were illegal and void ab initio.
FULL TEXT OF THE ITAT JUDGMENT
This appeal, filed by the assessee, calls into question correctness of order dated 12.12.2017 passed by the learned CIT(A)-II, Agra in the matter of assessment order dated 21.12.2016 passed under section 147/144 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for Assessment Year 2009-10 by the learned ITO 2(1)(2), Agra.
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