Assessment Orders Invalidated for Procedural Lapses (2)

The Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeals for three assessment years (2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) and dismissed the Revenue's appeals. The assessment orders were deemed invalid due to the non-issuance of valid notices under Section 143(2) after return filings, emphasizing the procedural lapses as incurable.

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Issues Involved:

1. Validity of reassessment proceedings initiated under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act.
2. Non-issuance of notice under Section 143(2) after filing the return of income.
3. Disallowance of 5% of purchases as non-genuine.
4. Provision of opportunity for cross-examination and adherence to the principle of Audi Alteram Partem.

Detailed Analysis:

1. Validity of Reassessment Proceedings Initiated Under Section 148:

The assessee challenged the reassessment proceedings initiated by the Assessing Officer (AO) under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, arguing that the notice issued was bad in law. The AO reopened the case based on information from the Investigation Wing, Mumbai, indicating that the assessee had availed bogus purchase/sale accommodation entries from Rajendra Jain Group. The AO issued a notice under Section 148 on 30.03.2018. The assessee responded by stating that the original return should be treated as the return in response to the notice. However, the AO insisted on filing a fresh return, which the assessee did on 28.09.2018. The validity of the reopening was upheld by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)], who held that quashing the reopening would unduly benefit the assessee due to the AO's mistake.

2. Non-Issuance of Notice Under Section 143(2) After Filing the Return of Income:

The assessee argued that no notice under Section 143(2) was issued after filing the return on 28.09.2018, which was a mandatory requirement. The CIT(A) acknowledged this but considered it a curable defect that did not invalidate the assessment order. The Tribunal, however, disagreed, citing the jurisdictional High Court's decision in PCIT vs. Marck Biosciences Ltd., which held that non-issuance of notice under Section 143(2) after filing the return renders the assessment invalid. The Tribunal concluded that the assessment order was invalid due to the absence of a valid notice under Section 143(2).

3. Disallowance of 5% of Purchases as Non-Genuine:

The AO disallowed 100% of the purchases from five entities managed by Rajendra Jain Group, treating them as bogus. The CIT(A) reduced the disallowance to 5% of the total purchases, referring to various decisions of the Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court. The Revenue appealed against this reduction, arguing for the restoration of the AO's original disallowance. The Tribunal did not delve into the merits of this issue, as the assessment order itself was declared invalid due to the procedural lapse in issuing the notice under Section 143(2).

4. Provision of Opportunity for Cross-Examination and Adherence to the Principle of Audi Alteram Partem:

The assessee contended that the assessment order was passed without providing the material evidence and the opportunity for cross-examination, violating the principle of Audi Alteram Partem. The Tribunal did not specifically address this issue, as the primary ground of non-issuance of notice under Section 143(2) was sufficient to invalidate the assessment order.

Conclusion:

The Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeals for all three assessment years (2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) and dismissed the Revenue's appeals as infructuous. The primary reason for this decision was the invalidity of the assessment orders due to the non-issuance of valid notices under Section 143(2) after the filing of returns. The Tribunal emphasized that such procedural lapses are not curable and render the assessment orders invalid.

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