1989 (3) TMI 95 - HC - Income Tax

Court confirms penalties under Income-tax Act should align with law at time of income disclosure.

The court upheld the Tribunal's decision in favor of the assessee, ruling that the penalty for concealment of income should be based on the law in force ... Jurisdiction To Impose Penalty, Penalty Issues:1. Penalty for concealment of income - Applicability of law at the time of filing the original return vs. filing return in response to notice under section 148 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.Analysis:The judgment addressed the issue of penalty for concealment of income and the applicable law at the time of filing the original return versus filing a return in response to a notice under section 148 of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The case involved an assessee who initially showed a cash credit of Rs. 20,000 in the original return filed on September 14, 1964, which was later deemed as income from undisclosed sources. Subsequently, penalty proceedings were initiated under section 271(1)(c) of the Act, and a penalty of Rs. 20,000 was imposed. The Tribunal overturned the penalty, stating that the Income-tax Officer lacked jurisdiction to levy a penalty exceeding Rs. 1,000 at the time of the original return filing in 1964. The court referred to the case law in CIT v. Ram Singh Harmohan Singh [1980] 121 ITR 381, which held that the offence of concealment of income attracting penalty provisions is committed when the original return is filed, and the penalty must be levied based on the law existing at that time. Therefore, the court upheld the Tribunal's decision, answering all three questions in favor of the assessee and against the Revenue.The judgment emphasized that the penalty for concealment of income should be regulated by the law in force at the time of filing the original return. It clarified that the Income-tax Officer's jurisdiction to levy penalties exceeding a certain threshold was limited at the time of the original return filing in 1964. By applying the legal principle established in a previous case, the court affirmed that the penalty should align with the law prevailing when the original return was submitted. Consequently, the Tribunal's decision to invalidate the penalty imposed on the assessee was deemed appropriate, as the Income-tax Officer lacked the authority to levy a penalty exceeding Rs. 1,000 at the time of the initial return filing.In conclusion, the court disposed of the reference in favor of the assessee, emphasizing that the penalty for concealment of income must adhere to the law applicable at the time of filing the original return. The judgment highlighted the significance of aligning penalty impositions with the legal framework in place when the income was initially disclosed, ensuring that the Income-tax Officer's jurisdiction is exercised within the prescribed limits. As a result, the Tribunal's decision to overturn the penalty imposed on the assessee was upheld, providing clarity on the regulatory framework governing penalties for income concealment under the Income-tax Act, 1961.