Transfer of income-tax jurisdiction can extend to wealth-tax powers without a separate notification under the Wealth-tax Act.

A valid transfer of income-tax cases under Section 127(1) of the Income-tax Act was treated as sufficient to confer co-extensive jurisdiction on the same officer for wealth-tax purposes. Section 8 of the Wealth-tax Act makes the Income-tax Officer having jurisdiction under the Income-tax Act the Wealth-tax Officer for the same assessee, and Section 8AA operates as an independent enabling provision only where there has been no prior transfer under Section 127(1). On that basis, no separate notification under Section 8AA was required, and the officer was competent to complete the wealth-tax assessments; the Tribunal's contrary view on lack of jurisdiction was incorrect.

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Issues: Whether a transfer of income-tax cases under Section 127(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 automatically conferred jurisdiction on the same officer to function as Wealth-tax Officer under Section 8 of the Wealth-tax Act, or whether a separate notification under Section 8AA of the Wealth-tax Act was .

Analysis: Section 8 of the Wealth-tax Act makes the Income-tax Officer having jurisdiction or exercising powers under the Income-tax Act the Wealth-tax Officer for the same assessee. Once a valid transfer order is issued under Section 127(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the officer so notified acquires jurisdiction under the Income-tax Act, and that jurisdiction operates co-extensively for wealth-tax purposes as well. Section 8AA is an independent enabling provision and is relevant where there is no transfer under Section 127(1); it does not require a fresh notification when jurisdiction has already been validly conferred under the Income-tax Act.

Conclusion: A separate notification under Section 8AA of the Wealth-tax Act was not required, and the officer had jurisdiction to complete the wealth-tax assessments. The finding of the Tribunal on lack of jurisdiction was erroneous and was answered against the assessee and in favour of the Revenue.

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