This Digest of case laws is prepared by KSA Legal and AIFTP from judgements reported in BCAJ, CTR, DTR, ITD, ITR, ITR (Trib), Chamber's Journal, SOT, Taxman, TTJ, BCAJ, ACAJ, www.itatonline.org and other journals
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S. 151 : Reassessment – Sanction for issue of notice – If the AO reopens on the basis of information received from another AO without further inquiry, it means he has proceeded “mechanically” and “without application of mind”. If the CIT does not give reasons while according sanction, it implies that he has also not applied his mind. Both render the reopening void [ S.147, 148 ]

Sunil Agarwal v. ITO (Delhi)(Trib) , www.itatonline.org

S. 147:Reassessment -Bogus purchases – Even the assessment which is completed u/s 143(1) cannot be reopened without proper ‘reason to believe’. If the reasons state that the information received from the VAT Dept that the assessee entered into bogus purchases “needed deep verification”, it means the AO is reopening for doing a ‘fishing or roving inquiry’ without proper reason to believe, which is not permissible.[ S.143(1), 148 ]

PCIT v. Manzil Dineshkumar Shah ( 2018) 406 ITR 326/ 304 CTR 326/ 169 DTR 229 //95 taxmnn.com 46 (Guj) HC) , www.itatonline.orgEditorial: SLP of revenue is dismissed PCIT v. Manzil Dineshkumar Shah ( 2019) 261 Taxman 1 (SC)

S. 143(2) : Assessment – Notice -Limited scrutiny-The CBDT Circulars which restrict the right of the AO in limited scrutiny cases apply only in cases where the AO seeks to do comprehensive scrutiny to find if there is potential escapement of income on other issues. However, if the S. 143(2) notice seeks information on whether the share premium is from disclosed sources and is correctly offered to tax, the AO can also inquire into whether the premium exceeds the FMV and is taxable u/s 56(2)(viib) of the Act .Writ to quash the notice was held to be not maintainable.[ S.56(2) (viib) ]

Sunrise Academy of Medical Specialities(India)Private Limited v. ITO( 2018) 409 ITR 109/ 167 DTR 233/ 257 Taxman 373/304 CTR 195 ( Ker)((HC) , www.itatonline.org.Editorial: Affirmed by division Bench , Sunrise Academy of Medical Specialities(India)Private Limited v. ITO ( 2018) 169 DTR 65/ 304 CTR 190 (Ker) (HC)

S. 40(a)(ia) : Amounts not deductible – Deduction at source -Non-resident –Commission- Obligation to deduct tax at source arises only if the sum is chargeable to tax in India , even after insertion of Explanation 2 to S.195(1) by Finance Act 2012 with retrospective effect from 01.04.1962

PCIT v. Nova Technocast Pvt. Ltd ( 2018) 166 DTR 426/ 304 CTR 670(Guj)(HC) , www.itatonline.org

Wealth-Tax Act, 1957
S.14: Return- Failure to file return on due date – Return was filed pursuant to reassessment notice – liable to pay interest from due date till date of filing of return [ S.17 , 17B ]

DR. S. F. V. Selvaraj v. ACWT 2018] 403 ITR 213/ 168 DTR 168/ 305 CTR 894 (Mad) (HC)

S. 263 : Commissioner – Revision of orders prejudicial to revenue – No proper enquiry was made in respect of unexplained investment , revision was held to be justified [ S. 69,133(6),143(3) ]

Syed Abubacker Riyaz v. CIT (2018) 403 ITR 252 (Karn) (HC)

S. 179 : Private company – Liability of directors – Before the Assessing Officer assumed jurisdiction, efforts to recover the tax dues from the company should have failed and such efforts and failure of recovery ought to have been mentioned in the notice, howsoever briefly. No distinction can be made between professional or paid directors and directors holding a large shareholding stake in the company.

Mehul Jadavji Shah v. DCIT ( 2018) 403 ITR 201 / 165 DTR 366/255 Taxman 126 / 302 CTR 344 (Bom) (HC)

S.147: Reassessment-After the expiry of four years- Transfer of shares – There was no failure to disclose material facts -Reassessment is bad in law [ S.148, R.40B ]

Dempo Brothers Pvt Ltd. v. ACIT (2018) 403 ITR 196 (Bom) (HC) Editorial: SLP of Revenue is dismissed (SLP No.32769 of 2018) (2019) 410 ITR 162(St.)(SC)

S. 143(1) : Assessment – Intimation -Additional tax -Reduction of loss on account of depreciation- Additional tax is held to be not leviable .[ S.143(IA) ]

PCIT v. Gujarat Electricity Board. (2018) 403 ITR 245 (Guj) (HC)

S. 80P : Co-operative societies – Mere inclusion of name originally and object in bye-laws of society is not conclusive, deduction is eligible .

Eluru Co-Operative House Mortgage Society Ltd. v. ITO (2018) 403 ITR 172 (T&AP) (HC)