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DATE: August 20, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 24, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 2009-10
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CITATION:
S. 153A, 153C Search Assessments: The Act has separate provisions for making assessment in case of material found in the course of search from premises of assessee (s. 153A) as well as material found in course of search at premises of third party (S. 153C). Even if search happens in case of assessee, the AO cannot initiate proceedings u/s 153A if incriminating material is found during search of other person. Proceedings should be initiated u/s 153C and failure to do so renders the addition in the s. 153A assessment void-ab-initio (Vinod Kumar Gupta 165 DTR 409 (Del) distinguished)

In the case of Vinod Kumar Gupta the Hon’ble High Court held that as search and seizure was conducted through one authorization, there was no requirement of issuing separate notice under section 153C of the Act and following separate procedure under section 153C of the Act. But in the instant case, separate search warrant has been issued in the case of the assessee as well in the case of Sh. Ashok Chowdhary and the Assessing Officer has used the material found in the course of search at the premise of Sh. Ashok Chowdhary, which is not permitted in view of the express provision of the law.

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DATE: August 13, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 17, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 2011-12
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CITATION:
S. 37(1): In the professional field there are innovative ways visualized by professionals to make themselves visible in the professional circle and to build their own professional profile for generating higher and value-added business such as sponsoring seminars, becoming knowledge partners, setting up prizes and awards, creating competitive award ceremonies, hosting vibrant summits etc. The way professionals promote themselves is changing very fast and benefits of such expenditure are huge and wide

The level at which the assessee is carrying on the profession, perhaps, he might not have thought it proper to increases visibility by attending the conferences, seminars et cetera. He has different vision of carrying himself in the professional field to increases visibility and social status. He thought fit to set up a scholarship to Indian students in Oxford University. Thus, in the present case definitely there is a nexus between the expenditure incurred by the assessee and the professional services rendered by the assessee. He has also shown that the student to moving the scholarship has been granted has helped him in famous case of Vodafone represented by him

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DATE: August 14, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 17, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 1998-99
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CITATION:
Low Tax Effect Appeals: Though CBDT Circular dated 8th August 2019, enhancing the monetary limits for Dept appeals, states that the "modifications shall come into effect from the date of issue of the Circular", it must be interpreted to mean that the enhanced limits apply not only to appeals to be filed in future but also to appeals pending for disposal as on now. It is an appreciable goodwill gesture by the Govt, for so many taxpayers, on the eve of this Independence Day and offering them freedom from the prolonged mental agony and uncertainty of litigation

The circular was issued on Thursday the 8th August 2019, and within two working days and the long weekend, today on 14th August 2019, all the appeals stand disposed of. It’s only a team effort and whole hearted cooperation of all the stakeholders that can enable us to so speedily implement taxpayer friendly initiatives of the Government of India. The taxpayer relief involved in these appeals, including interest and the other corollaries, is estimated to be well over Rs 350 crores. The lead case before us is an appeal filed over fifteen years ago by the Income Tax Officer and it deals with an assessment year which pertains to the period over twenty years ago. Yet, the matter had not reached the finality and the revenue’s challenge to the relief granted by the Commissioner (Appeals) had remained undecided. That is nothing but prolonged agony of uncertainty to the taxpayers. It is indeed an appreciable goodwill gesture by the Government, for so many taxpayers, on the eve of this Independence Day and offering them freedom from the prolonged mental agony and uncertainty of litigation

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DATE: August 9, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 17, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 2014-15
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CITATION:
S. 50C + S. 10(38) Bogus Penny Stocks Capital Gains: (i) Though the 3rd Proviso to s. 50C, which provides a safe harbour of 5%, applies w.e.f. 01.04.2019, it must be interpreted to apply since the insertion of s. 50C (01.04.2003) because it is curative and removes an incongruity and avoids undue hardship to assesseess (ii) LTCG from penny stocks cannot be treated as bogus if the documentation is in order and no fault is found by the AO

The insertion of third proviso (noted above) to Section 50C of the Act is declaratory and curative in nature. That is, the third provisoto Section 50C of the Act relates to computation of value of property as explained by us above, hence it is not a substantive amendment, it is only a procedural amendment therefore the Coordinate Benches of the ITAT used to ignore the variation up to 10%, therefore, the said amendment should be retrospective.Quite clearly therefore, even when the statute does not specifically state so, such amendments, in the light of the detailed discussions above, can only be treated as retrospective and effective from the date related statutory provisions was introduced. Viewed thus, the third proviso to Section50C should be treated as curative in nature and with retrospective effect from 1st April 2003, i.e. the date effective from which Section 50C was introduced.

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DATE: August 13, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 14, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: -
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CITATION:
S. 143(2)/ 292BB: The failure to issue a notice u/s 143(2) renders the assessment order void even if the assessee has participated in the proceedings. S. 292BB does not save complete absence of notice. For S. 292BB to apply, the notice must have emanated from the department. It is only the infirmities in the manner of service of notice that the Section seeks to cure. The Section is not intended to cure complete absence of notice itself

According to Section 292BB of the Act, if the assessee had participated in the proceedings, by way of legal fiction, notice would be deemed to be valid even if there be infractions as detailed in said Section. The scope of the provision is to make service of notice having certain infirmities to be proper and valid if there was requisite participation on part of the assessee. It is, however, to be noted that the Section does not save complete absence of notice. For Section 292BB to apply, the notice must have emanated from the department. It is only the infirmities in the manner of service of notice that the Section seeks to cure. The Section is not intended to cure complete absence of notice itself.

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DATE: August 13, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 14, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: -
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CITATION:
S. 92CA(1) Transfer Pricing: CBDT's Instruction No.3/2003 dated 20.05.2003 makes it mandatory for the AO to make a reference to the TPO. The failure to make reference to the TPO renders the Transfer Pricing Adjustments made therein are bad in law though the assessment order is good. The matter should be restored to the file of the AO so that appropriate reference could be made to the TPO

In view of the guidelines issued by the CBDT in Instruction No.3/2003 the Tribunal was right in observing that by not making reference to the TPO, the Assessing Officer had breached the mandatory instructions issued by the CBDT

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DATE: June 14, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 14, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 2014-15
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CITATION:
S. 10(38) Bogus Capital Gains from Penny Stocks (282x gain in 12 months): The meticulous paper work of routing the transaction through banking channel is futile because the results are altogether beyond human probabilities. Neither in the past nor in the subsequent years, assessee has indulged into any such investment having huge windfall. Had the assessee been so intelligent qua the intricacies of the share market, he would have definitely undertaken such risk taking activities in the past or future by making such investment in unknown stock. It is a sham transaction to convert undisclosed income into disclosed by evading tax under the garb of LTCG in connivance with entry providers (Pooja Ajmani & Udit Kalra 176 DTR 249 (Del) followed

The contention of the assessee that he has purchased the shares through banking channel and as such, when the purchase is genuine then sale cannot be questioned, is not tenable because the entire transaction of sale and purchase is to be seen in entirety in the light of the attending circumstances particularly when share of Rs.10 is sold after a period of one year at 282 times which is otherwise improbable in the ordinary course of business.

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DATE: August 2, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 10, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: 2007-08, 2008-09
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CITATION:
S. 68 Bogus Share Capital Premium: The test of human probabilities cannot be applied to business transactions. Share premium is collected as per the understanding between the parties. The AO cannot treat the share premium as unexplained cash credit only because the same is not commensurate with the income and financial strength of the assessee. The AO cannot reach this conclusion without further investigation and bringing material on record (All imp judgements referred)

The share premium has been collected as per the understanding reached between both the parties. We notice that the AO has not mentioned in the assessment order that the assessee has failed to satisfy the three main ingredients in the context of sec.68 of the Act. His only case was that the assessee did not substantiate the quantum of share premium collected. We have noticed that the assessee has furnished a valuation report in order to justify the share premium, even though the same has been rejected by the AO. However, the important point is that the doubt of the assessing officer on the quantum of share premium cannot be a ground for making addition u/s 68 of the Act.

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DATE: July 29, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 3, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: -
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CITATION:
S. 197/ Rule 28AA TDS: An order u/s 197 is quasi-judicial & must be supported by valid & cogent reasoning. It has to be based on objective criteria and relevant material. On facts, there is arbitrariness and non-application of mind at various levels which vitiates the certificate. The reasons do not conform to the requirement of s. 197 r. w. Rule 28 AA. The settled legal position is that orders passed by a statutory authority under "dictation" of a superior officer or anyone else is bad in law

The Court accordingly finds that in the present case the impugned withholding certificate which directs TDS to be deducted at 5% on the payments made by the Indian entities to the Petitioner is unsustainable in law, inasmuch as it is not based on valid reasons and is contrary to the legal requirement spelt out in Section 197(1) of the Act read with Rule 28AA of the Rules. The impugned certificate is hereby quashed

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DATE: July 12, 2019 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: August 3, 2019 (Date of publication)
AY: -
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CITATION:
The Benami Amendment Act, 2016, amending the Benami Act, 1988, comes into force on 01.11.2016 and does not have retrospective effect. Unless a contrary intention is reflected, every legislation is presumed and intended to be prospective. In the normal course of human behavior, one is entitled to arrange his affairs keeping in view the laws for the time being in force and such arrangement of affairs should not be dislodged by retrospective application of law. The High Court can strike down wrong exercise of jurisdiction u/A 226, 227 individual to save individuals from lengthy proceedings and unnecessary harassment

For the reason aforesaid and in the backdrop of the settled legal proposition so also in view of singular factual matrix of the matters herein; this Court has no hesitation to hold that the Benami Amendment Act, 2016, amending the Principal Benami Act, 1988, enacted w.e.f. 1st November, 2016, i.e. the date determined by the Central Government in its wisdom for its enforcement; cannot have retrospective effect

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