75th Founding Day Lecture Meeting on “India@2030” Know More

May 2023

Reassessment — Notice under section 148 — Jurisdiction — Notice issued by officer who had no jurisdiction over the assessee — Notice defective and invalid — Notice and order rejecting objections of the assessee set aside.

By K. B. Bhujle, Advocate
Reading Time 2 mins
11 Ashok Devichand Jain vs. UOI
[2023] 452 ITR 43 (Bom) A. Y.: 2012-13
Date of order: 8th March, 2022
Sections 147 and 148 of ITA 1961

Reassessment — Notice under section 148 — Jurisdiction — Notice issued by officer who had no jurisdiction over the assessee — Notice defective and invalid — Notice and order rejecting objections of the assessee set aside.

The petitioner assesee filed a writ petition challenging a notice dated 30th March, 2019 issued by the Income Tax Officer under section 148 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 for the A. Y. 2012-13 and an order passed on 18th November, 2019 rejecting the petitioner’s objection to reopening on various grounds.

The Bombay High Court allowed the writ petition and held as under:

“i)    The primary ground that has been raised is that the Income-tax Officer who issued the notice u/s. 148 of the Act, had no jurisdiction to issue such notice. According to the petitioner as per CBDT Instruction No. 1 of 2011 dated January 31, 2011, where income declared/returned by any non-corporate assessee is up to Rs. 20 lakhs, then the jurisdiction will be of Income-tax Officer and where the income declared/returned by a non-corporate assessee is above Rs. 20 lakhs, the jurisdiction will be of Deputy Commissioner/Assistant Commissioner.

ii)    The petitioner has filed return of income of about Rs. 64,34,663 and therefore, the jurisdiction w