AO Bound To Ascertain 'Correctness' Of Information Available Against Assessee, 'Decide' Whether It Is Sufficient To Reopen Assessment: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has turned down the contention that an Assessing Officer, at the stage of passing an order under Section 148A(d) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for initiation of reassessment proceedings, is not required to form any opinion as to the genuineness or veracity of the information available against an assessee. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed, “As is clear from the plain language of Section 148A(d) of the...

Delay In Issuing Requisition U/S 132A Of Income Tax Act Due To Investigation By Department Can Be Condoned: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that the delay in issuing requisition under Section 132A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, can be condoned if the same is explained by the Authority concerned. The provision contemplates powers to requisition books of account, etc. It stipulates that where a search has already been conducted by any authority under any other law, the Income Tax authority shall authorize the Assessing Officer to make requisition to that authority to deliver books of accounts and...

Customs Dept Cannot Encash Bank Guarantee Furnished By Trader During Pendency Of Appeal If Pre-Deposit Is Made: Delhi HC Affirms

Based on a circular issued by the Finance Ministry, the Delhi High Court has affirmed that the Customs Department cannot encash the bank guarantee furnished by a trader, whose import/export transactions are in dispute, if the latter has made a pre-deposit with his appeal against the demand and penalty. A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Dharmesh Sharma observed, “A perusal of the Circular and the clauses extracted above would show that no coercive measures can be...

[GST] Decision-Making Procedure Adopted By Authority De Hors Provisions Of Act/Rules, Is Liable To Be Rendered As Flawed: Allahabad High Court

While directing that the order under Section 73 of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 uploaded in the “Additional Notices and Tabs” on the GST portal be treated as the show cause notice, the Allahabad High Court observed that “If in a decision making procedure adopted by the authority is de hors the provisions of the act or rules framed thereunder, it is liable to be rendered as flawed one.” Petitioner challenged the order under Section 73 of the GST Act on grounds of violation...

Income Tax Dept Can Invoke S.159 When Reassessment Notice Was Issued During Lifetime Of Deceased Assessee: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that Section 159 of the Income Tax Act can be invoked to proceed against the legal representative of an assessee, only in cases where the reassessment notice was issued to the assessee during his lifetime, not after. When a person dies, the provision makes his legal representative liable to pay any sum which the deceased would have been liable to pay if he had not died. Sub-section (2) thereof clearly stipulates that any proceeding taken against the...

Goods Loaded Without Proper Documents Can't Be Exported Without Clearance By Customs Officials: CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Penalty

Stating that goods wrongly loaded by the steamer agent could not have been exported without clearance by the Customs officials themselves, the Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal at Kolkata set aside the penalty imposed under Section 114 of the Customs Act, 1962. The provision stipulates a penalty for attempting to export goods improperly. The Appellant, a steamer agent, was saddled with Rs. 2 lakh penalty for exporting goods without Let Export Order (LEO). Noting...

Reduction In Share Capital Amounts To Transfer Of Capital Asset Under Income Tax Act : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (recently on January 02) reiterated that reduction in share capital is covered under Section 2(47) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which talks about transfer of a capital asset. It explained that such reduction would be come under the expression “sale, exchange or relinquishment of the asset” used in the provision.For reference, the concerned portion of Section 2(47) reads as:“transfer' in relation to a capital asset, includes, (i) the sale, exchange or relinquishment of the...

Twin Conditions U/S 127 Of Income Tax Act For Transferring Assessee's Case From One Officer To Another Are Mandatory: Himachal Pradesh HC

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has elucidated the mandatory twin conditions for transfer of an assessee's case under Section 127 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, from one Assessing Officer to another. Section 127 stipulates that the Commissioner may, after giving the assessee a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter and after recording his reasons for doing so, transfer any case from Assessing Officer subordinate to him to any other Assessing Officer also subordinate to him. ...

S.168A GST Act | 'Recommendation' Of GST Council To Extend Limitation Period Can Be Substituted By Subsequent 'Ratification': Telangana HC

The Telangana High Court has upheld the validity of two 2023 notifications, issued by the GST Department post COVID-19 pandemic, for extending the limitation period prescribed for issuing notices under Section 73 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. A division bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Dr. Justice G. Radha Rani also upheld a notification issued in 2022 for similar purpose. In doing so, it observed, “In the manner statute i.e., Section 168A is worded, there is no...

What Constitutes Valid Service Of Notice U/S 169 Of CGST Act? Madras High Court Clarifies

The Madras High Court interpreted Section 169 of Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and stated that Section 169 mandates a notice in person or by registered post or to the registered e-mail ID alternatively and on a failure or impracticability of adopting any of the aforesaid modes, then the State can, in addition, make a publication of such notices/ summons/ orders in the portal/ newspaper through the concerned officials. The Bench of Justice K. Kumaresh Babu observed that “when...

Assessee Must Clearly Establish 'Movement Of Goods' To Defend Allegations Of Accommodation Entries: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has made it clear that merely producing transaction documents to establish that payments were made to an entity is not sufficient to defend the allegations of accommodation entries. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed, “The documents provided by the petitioner would establish that the payments had been made to Shri Ajay Gupta through banking channels. However, the same does not address the allegation of...

Uploading Information On Insight Portal Not A Substitute For Handing Over Material To AO For Non-Searched Entity U/S 153C Of IT Act: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that the provision under Section 153C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the Assessing officer of a searched person to record 'satisfaction' and handover documents regarding undisclosed income of another person cannot be substituted by merely uploading such information on the Department's insight portal. The provision stipulates that where the Assessing Officer of the person searched is satisfied that records of undisclosed assets relate to another person,...