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Issues Involved:
1. Competence of Shri Sohan Lal to file an appeal under section 246 of the Income-tax Act. 2. Legitimacy of the Appellate Assistant Commissioner's (AAC) order setting aside the Income-tax Officer's (ITO) assessment and directing a fresh decision. Issue-wise Detailed Analysis: 1. Competence of Shri Sohan Lal to File an Appeal: The primary issue was whether Shri Sohan Lal, son of the deceased Shri Bakshi Ram, was competent to file an appeal before the AAC under section 246 of the Income-tax Act against the ITO's order. The Tribunal held that Shri Sohan Lal had the right to file an appeal. According to section 246(c) of the Income-tax Act, an assessee aggrieved by an ITO's order can appeal if they deny their liability to be assessed. The Tribunal referenced Gokuldas v. Kikabhai Abdulali [1958] 33 ITR 94 (Bom), which states that a person treated as a partner in a firm's assessment can appeal if they deny their liability as a partner. Since Shri Sohan Lal denied the firm's existence after February 1, 1967, and consequently his liability as a partner, he was entitled to appeal the ITO's order. The High Court upheld this view, stating that Sohan Lal, affected by the ITO's order, had the right to appeal, as supported by the Supreme Court's decision in CIT v. Ambala Flour Mills [1970] 78 ITR 256. Therefore, question No. 1 was answered in the affirmative. 2. Legitimacy of the AAC's Order: The second issue concerned whether the AAC was right in setting aside the ITO's order under sections 143(3) and 185(1)(b) and directing a fresh decision. The AAC had set aside the ITO's order because the ITO had not resolved the basic issue of whether Shri Bakshi Ram was a partner during the relevant period. The AAC directed the ITO to provide both parties the opportunity to present evidence, cross-examine, and rebut evidence, and then reassess the case de novo. The Tribunal supported this, noting that the AAC has broad powers under section 251(1)(c) of the Income-tax Act to pass any suitable orders, including remanding the case for further inquiry. The Tribunal emphasized that the AAC's powers are more extensive than those of an appellate court under the Code of Civil Procedure and can include remanding cases to the ITO for issues not initially appealed. The High Court agreed, stating that the AAC's discretion was exercised judicially and not arbitrarily, and upheld the Tribunal's decision. Consequently, question No. 2 was also answered in the affirmative. In conclusion, the High Court affirmed the Tribunal's decision that Shri Sohan Lal was competent to file an appeal and that the AAC was justified in setting aside the ITO's order and directing a fresh assessment.
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