Reopening valid for Failure to disclose all material facts necessary for assessment

Since this was a case of proposed reopening of assessment after four years from the end of the relevant assessment year it was incumbent upon the assessing officer to demonstrate that there was failure on the part of the assessee to fully and truly disclose all material facts necessary for its assessment.

The purported reasons which we have extracted above do not even allege that there has been a failure on the part of the assessee to disclose any material fact. In fact, even in the impugned order dated 31.05.2012 there is no mention of what fact the assessee had failed to disclose which was necessary for the assessment in the original round of assessment. Failure to disclose all material facts necessary for assessment is a condition precedent for reopening of an assessment beyond the period of four years from the date of assessment. This is a pre-condition set out in the statute itself. It is ordered accordingly. All the proceedings pursuant to the notice dated 27.03.2012 are quashed. The writ petition is allowed.