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2021 (11) TMI 922 - AT - Income Tax


Issues Involved:
1. Legality of the order passed by the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (Pr. CIT) under Section 263 of the Income Tax Act.
2. Whether the order passed under Section 263 directing the Assessing Officer (AO) to reframe the assessment was vague, mechanical, and without application of mind.
3. Whether the Pr. CIT identified any specific issue in the notices issued under Section 263.
4. Applicability of the amendment made to Section 263 effective from June 1, 2015.
5. Examination of whether the AO's order was casual, hurried, and failed to examine all material facts.
6. Whether the order under Section 263 was passed without giving proper opportunity to the assessee.
7. Dependency and interrelation of the grounds raised in the appeal.

Detailed Analysis:

1. Legality of the Order Passed by Pr. CIT under Section 263:
The appellant challenged the legality of the Pr. CIT’s order passed under Section 263, arguing it was illegal and bad in law. The Tribunal noted that the Pr. CIT invoked Section 263 based on the audit objection that the AO's order was erroneous and prejudicial to the interest of revenue because the AO did not add back the recovered amount of ?14,75,00,000, which was classified as loss assets. The Tribunal found that the AO had examined the details, applied his mind, and made due verification before framing the assessment, thus the Pr. CIT was not justified in alleging that the AO’s order was erroneous and prejudicial to the revenue.

2. Vagueness and Mechanical Nature of the Order under Section 263:
The appellant argued that the order under Section 263 was vague, mechanical, and without application of mind. The Tribunal observed that the Pr. CIT did not consider the submissions and documentary evidence placed on record by the assessee. The Pr. CIT concluded that the AO's order was erroneous without specific findings or detailed examination of the written submissions and evidence. Therefore, the Tribunal found the order under Section 263 to be vague and mechanical.

3. Identification of Specific Issues in Notices under Section 263:
The appellant contended that the Pr. CIT did not identify any specific issue in the notices issued under Section 263. The Tribunal noted that the Pr. CIT’s show cause notice mentioned the recovered amount of ?14,75,00,000, which was classified as loss assets, should have been added back under Section 41(1). However, the Tribunal found that the AO had already examined this issue during the assessment proceedings, and the Pr. CIT did not provide any new specific issue or material to justify the revision.

4. Applicability of Amendment to Section 263 Effective from June 1, 2015:
The appellant argued that the revision order passed under Section 263 pursuant to the amendment effective from June 1, 2015, was bad in law. The Tribunal did not find any specific discussion or ruling on this argument, as the primary focus was on the erroneous and prejudicial nature of the AO’s order and the application of Section 41(1).

5. Examination of AO's Order for Being Casual and Hurried:
The appellant claimed that the Pr. CIT erred in holding that the AO's order was casual, hurried, and did not examine all material facts. The Tribunal observed that the AO had conducted proper enquiry, verified the withdrawal of provision of ICD amounting to ?14,75,00,000, and allowed the claim after being satisfied with the details and explanations provided by the assessee. Thus, the Tribunal found that the AO’s order was neither casual nor hurried.

6. Proper Opportunity to the Assessee:
The appellant argued that the order under Section 263 was passed without giving proper opportunity to the assessee. The Tribunal noted that the Pr. CIT did issue a show cause notice and provided an opportunity for the assessee to present its case. However, the Tribunal found that the Pr. CIT did not consider the submissions and documentary evidence properly, which led to an erroneous conclusion.

7. Dependency and Interrelation of Grounds Raised:
The appellant stated that each ground of appeal was dependent on and without prejudice to the other grounds. The Tribunal’s analysis and decision addressed each ground comprehensively, finding that the AO had conducted proper enquiry, applied his mind, and the Pr. CIT’s order under Section 263 was not justified.

Conclusion:
The Tribunal quashed the revisionary order framed under Section 263 of the Act and restored the assessment order under Section 143(3) dated 13.02.2020. The appeal filed by the assessee was allowed, as the Tribunal found that the AO had made proper enquiries, applied his mind, and the Pr. CIT did not provide specific findings or conduct sufficient enquiry to justify the revision under Section 263.

 

 

 

 

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