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Issues:
1. Interpretation of section 154 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 regarding the rectification of mistakes in assessment orders. 2. Whether the Income-tax Officer had the competence to rectify the assessment order for the year 1962-63 and exclude income from two hotels from the total income of the assessee. Analysis: 1. The judgment pertains to a reference under section 256(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, initiated by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (Chandigarh Bench). The case involves an excise contractor, the assessee, whose income from two hotels was included in the total income for assessment years 1960-61 and 1961-62. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner initially upheld this inclusion, but the Tribunal later remanded the case for further consideration. Subsequently, it was found that the two hotels did not belong to the assessee, and their income was excluded from the total income. 2. The primary issue revolved around the competence of the Income-tax Officer to rectify the assessment order for the year 1962-63 under section 154 of the Act. The relevant provision allows rectification of mistakes apparent from the record. The court emphasized that such mistakes are not limited to clerical errors and can include substantive errors evident without extensive investigation. In this case, the assessment order for 1962-63 was based on previous years' orders, indicating a lack of independent evaluation. When the earlier orders were set aside, revealing the error in including hotel income, the mistake became apparent for the current assessment year. Citing precedents, the court affirmed the Income-tax Officer's authority to rectify such mistakes and align the assessment with previous findings. 3. The court referred to the Supreme Court's decision in Maharana Mills (Private) Ltd. v. Income-tax Officer, emphasizing that the power to rectify mistakes under section 154 extends to errors evident from the record, even if they result from legal misinterpretations. The judgment highlighted the distinction between rectifying factual and legal errors, asserting that glaring legal mistakes can also be rectified. The court rejected attempts to distinguish previous cases, emphasizing the importance of correcting errors that affect the assessment's foundation. Ultimately, the court answered the reference question affirmatively, supporting the Income-tax Officer's authority to rectify the assessment order for the year 1962-63 and exclude income from the two hotels from the total income of the assessee. This detailed analysis of the judgment provides a comprehensive understanding of the legal issues involved and the court's reasoning in interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
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