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TMI Blog2018 (10) TMI 853X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... National Thermal Power Co.Ltd. vs. CIT [1996 (12) TMI 7 - SUPREME COURT] if a claim though available in law is not made either inadvertently or on account of erroneous belief of complex legal position, such claim cannot be shut out for all times to come, merely because it is raised for the first time before the appellate authority without resorting to revising the return before the assessing officer. Therefore, any ground, legal contention or even a claim would be permissible to be raised for the first time before the appellate authority or the Tribunal when facts necessary to examine such ground, contention or claim are already on record. In such a case the situation would be akin to allowing a pure question of law to be raised at any s ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... al contention or a fresh claim can be made at an appellate stage are vexed questions and have occupied the minds of the Courts in numerous occasions. 31. In the case of Jute Corpn. of India Ltd. v. CIT [1991] 187 ITR 688 the Supreme Court noted with approval observation of the Court in the case of CIT v. Kanpur Coal Syndicate [1964] 53 ITR 225 to the effect that The Appellate Assistant Commissioner, therefore, has plenary powers in disposing of appeal. The scope of his power is co-terminus with that of the Income-tax Officer. He can do what the Income-tax Officer can do and also direct him to do what he has failed to do. It was observed that there was no reason why the appellate authority cannot modify the assessment order on an ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n case of National Thermal Power Co. Ltd. v. CIT [1998] 229 ITR 383 (SC) when the question of law was raised for the first time before the Tribunal though facts were already on record, the Supreme Court observed that there is no reason why the assessee should be prevented from raising such a question before the Tribunal for the first time so long as the relevant facts are on record in respect of the item concerned. There is no reason to restrict the power of the Tribunal in such appeal only to decide the grounds which arise from the order of Commissioner (Appeals). The Tribunal should not be prevented from considering the questions of law arising in assessment proceedings although not raised earlier. 33. In case of Goetze (India) ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ditional claim and not merely additional legal submissions. The appellate authorities have discretion to permit such additional claims. Such claims need not be those which became available on account of change of circumstances of law but which were even available when the return was filed. 36. The Delhi High Court once again in recent judgment in the case of CIT v. Sam Global Securities Ltd. [2014] 360 ITR 682/[2013] 38 taxmann.com 129 observed that the Courts have taken a pragmatic view and not a technical one as to what is required to be determined in taxable income. In that sense assessment proceedings are not adversarial in nature. With these observations Court confirmed the view of the Tribunal reversing the decision of the a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ed the powers of the Appellate Commissioner and the Tribunal to entertain a new claim for the first time though not made before the assessing officer. Income-tax proceedings are not strictly speaking adversarial in nature and the intention of the Revenue would be to tax real income. 39. This is primarily on the premise that if a claim though available in law is not made either inadvertently or on account of erroneous belief of complex legal position, such claim cannot be shut out for all times to come, merely because it is raised for the first time before the appellate authority without resorting to revising the return before the assessing officer. 40. Therefore, any ground, legal contention or even a claim would be perm ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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