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Reopening of assessments u/s 147(b) based on audit report validity. Summary: The High Court of Delhi was presented with a question referred by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal regarding the validity of reopening assessments u/s 147(b) based on an audit report. The dispute pertained to assessment years 1971-72 to 1973-74, where the Income-tax Officer reopened assessments due to information from the audit report indicating that interest allowed to an individual was not admissible under law. The Income-tax Officer found that interest had been paid to the individual both as a representative of a Hindu undivided family and as an individual, leading to disallowances for the respective assessment years. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner upheld the reassessments, which were then appealed before the Tribunal by the assessee. The assessee argued that the reopening of assessments was invalid based on the opinion of the audit party not constituting information u/s 147(b) of the Income-tax Act. The Tribunal, after reviewing the audit report, concluded that while the audit party cannot provide legal opinions, it can highlight factual aspects that constitute information for reopening assessments. The Tribunal upheld the assessments and rejected the application u/s 254(2) of the Act. The High Court noted the precedents in Indian and Eastern Newspaper Society's case and CIT v. P.V.S. Beedies Pvt. Ltd., where it was established that the audit party can point out factual errors or omissions for reopening assessments, even though it cannot interpret the law. In the present case, the Tribunal independently examined the materials from the audit report and concluded that there was an escapement of income, affirming the validity of the reopening of assessments u/s 147(b). The High Court ruled in favor of the Revenue and against the assessee based on the precedents and the independent assessment conducted by the Tribunal. Consequently, the references were disposed of accordingly.
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