[Analysis] Validity of Reassessment Notices with Case Studies
- Blog|
- 7 Min Read
- By Taxmann
- |
- Last Updated on 21 February, 2023
Table of Contents
a. Category 1 – If income escaping assessment is less than Rs. 1 lakh
b. Category 2 – Income escaping assessment is Rs. 1 lakh or more but less than Rs. 50 lakhs
c. Category 3 – Income escaping assessment is Rs. 50 lakh or more
Citation: [2022] 138 taxmann.com 255 (Article)
1. Background
2. Extension in due dates
Due dates falling between March 20, 2020 and – | Extended to | Source |
June 29, 2020 | June 29, 2020 | Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020 [TOLA]† |
December 31, 2020 | March 31, 2021 | Notification S.O. 2033(E) [No. 35/2020], dated June 24, 2020† |
March 30, 2021 | March 31, 2021 | Notification S.O. 4805(E) [No. 93/2020], dated December 31, 2020 |
March 31, 2021 | April 30, 2021 | Notification S.O. 1432(E) [No. 20/2021], dated March 31, 2021 |
March 31, 2021 | June 30, 2021 | Notification S.O. 1703 (E) [No. 38/2021], dated April 27, 2021 |
†The impact of the Ordinance and notification was covered in the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020. |
3. Matter of dispute
4. CBDT’s Instruction
a. The notice is issued within the limitation period prescribed under new Section 149 as follows:
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- within 3 years, if the income escaping assessment is less than Rs. 50 lakhs;
- within 10 years, if the income escaping assessment is Rs. 50 lakhs or more.
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b. The limitation period should not have expired under old Section 149 as on April 1, 2021.
5. Case Studies
Category 1 – If income escaping assessment is less than Rs. 1 lakh
Different cases | Assessment Year | Last date to issue notice (after considering the extension given by TOLA) | Whether notice could be issued in the extended period under the old law? | Whether notice could be issued under the new law? | Validity of notice | |
Under old law | Under new law | |||||
Case 1 | 2012-13 | March 31, 2017 | March 31, 2016 | No | No | Time barred |
Case 2 | 2013-14 | March 31, 2018 | March 31, 2017 | No | No | Time barred |
Case 3 | 2014-15 | March 31, 2019 | March 31, 2018 | No | No | Time barred |
Case 4 | 2015-16 | June 30, 2021 | March 31, 2019 | Yes | No | Time barred |
Case 5 | 2016-17 | June 30, 2021 | June 30, 2021 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 6 | 2017-18 | March 31, 2022 | June 30, 2021 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 7 | 2018-19 | March 31, 2023 | March 31, 2022 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 8 | 2019-20 | March 31, 2024 | March 31, 2023 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 9 | 2020-21 | March 31, 2025 | March 31, 2024 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Category 2 – Income escaping assessment is Rs. 1 lakh or more but less than Rs. 50 lakhs
Different cases | Assessment Year | Last date to issue notice (after considering the extension given by TOLA) | Whether notice could be issued in the extended period under the old law? | Whether notice could be issued under the new law? | Validity of notice | |
Under old law | Under new law | |||||
Case 10 | 2012-13 | March 31, 2019 | March 31, 2016 | No | No | Time barred |
Case 11 | 2013-14 | June 30, 2021 | March 31, 2017 | Yes | No | Time barred |
Case 12 | 2014-15 | June 30, 2021 | March 31, 2018 | Yes | No | Time barred |
Case 13 | 2015-16 | March 31, 2022 | March 31, 2019 | Yes | No | Time barred |
Case 14 | 2016-17 | March 31, 2023 | June 30, 2021 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 15 | 2017-18 | March 31, 2024 | June 30, 2021 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 16 | 2018-19 | March 31, 2025 | March 31, 2022 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 17 | 2019-20 | March 31, 2026 | March 31, 2023 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 18 | 2020-21 | March 31, 2027 | March 31, 2024 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Category 3 – Income escaping assessment is Rs. 50 lakh or more
Different cases | Assessment Year | Last date to issue notice (after considering the extension given by TOLA) | Whether notice could be issued in the extended period under the old law? | Whether notice could be issued under the new law? | Validity of notice | |
Under old law | Under new law | |||||
Case 19 | 2012-13 | March 31, 2019 | March 31, 2023 | No | Yes | Time barred |
Case 20 | 2013-14 | June 30, 2021 | March 31, 2024 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 21 | 2014-15 | June 30, 2021 | March 31, 2025 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 22 | 2015-16 | March 31, 2022 | March 31, 2026 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 23 | 2016-17 | March 31, 2023 | March 31, 2027 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 24 | 2017-18 | March 31, 2024 | March 31, 2028 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 25 | 2018-19 | March 31, 2025 | March 31, 2029 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 26 | 2019-20 | March 31, 2026 | March 31, 2030 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
Case 27 | 2020-21 | March 31, 2027 | March 31, 2031 | Yes | Yes | Valid |
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The given compilation is very helpful to understand the issue in case and consideration of period of limitation.
Further, there is no doubt to say that the Instruction No.01/2022 dated 11.05.2022 circulated by the Department of Revenue, CBDT, Ministry of Finance Government of India, creates the doubts over the procedures to be followed for issue of notice u/s 148 after due consideration of compliance as per the direction of the Hon’ble Court :
1. Impugned section 148 notices issued earlier during 01.04.2021 to 30.06.2021 shall be deemed to have been issued u/s 148A and treated as show cause u/s 148A(b)
2. Assessing officers shall within 30 days from today i.e. 4.05.2022, provide to the assessee the information and material relied upon by the revenue.
3. Assessee can reply to the notices within two weeks over the information and material
4. After due consideration of the reply assessing officer shall pass an order u/s 148A(d) , whether it is fit case or not for issu of notice u/s 148.
5. Assessee can avail the defences available u/n 149 and or which may be available under Finance Act, 2021 and in law .
Now as per Instruction the revenue department mention in para 6.2 that the extended reassessment notices are to be dealt with as under:
i. AY 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16: fresh notice under section 148 of the Act can be issued in these cases, with the approval of the specified authority, only if case falls under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 149 as amended by the Finance Act, 2021 which fixed the period of 10 years from the end of the relevant assessment year for issue of section 148 notice if the Assessing Officer has in his possession books of accounts or other documents or evidence which reveal that the income chargeable to tax , represented in the form of asset and likely to amount to 50 lac or more for that year. However the specified authority for granting approval is PCCIT or PDGIT / CCIT or DGIT for issue of notice u/s 148 and 148A.
Further, as per the first proviso of section 149(1) as amended by Finance Act, 2021 w.e.f. 01.04.2021 which provides that no notice under section 148 shall be issued at any time in a case for the relevant assessment year beginning on or before 1st Day of April, 2021, if such notice could not have been issued at the time on account of being beyond the time limit specified under the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 149 as they stood immediately before the commencement of the Finance Act, 2021 which reads as under:
No notice u/s 148 shall be issued for the relevant assessment year if four years, but not more than 6 years , have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year unless the income chargeable to tax which has escaped assessment amounts to or is likely to amount to one lakh rupees or more for that year.
Further SC order para 8 clause (iv) and para 10 clause (iv) provides that “all the defences which may be available to the assessee under section 149 and / or which may be available under the finance Act, 2021 and in law and whatever rights are available to the Assessing Officer under the Finance Act, 2021 are kept open and /or shall continue to be available.
Further as per para 7.1 of the Instruction it has mentioned that “However, it has also been noticed that notice cannot be issued in a case for AY 2013-14, Ay 2014-15 and AY 2015-16, if the income escaping assessment , in that case for that year , amounts to or likely to amount to less than fifty lacs rupees.” And if the income is likely or more than 50 lac then it will be proceed but Rs 50 lac limits given in section 149(1)(b) is in respect of the amount “represented in the form of asset” and hence if the amount is not represented the asses then there should be no proceedings.
Thus there is no doubt, as per law the assessee can take all the defences available to him whether it pertain to jurisdiction issue, or limitation in respect of reopening assessee like change of opinion. barred by limitation if assessment already passed u/s 143(3) in earlier and assessee disclosed all material facts in respect of assessment, reason to believe or suspect etc.