Issues: (i) Whether the increase in professional and consultancy fees justified disallowance of business expenditure; (ii) whether loan repayment entries could be added as unexplained cash credits; (iii) whether the loan received from a lender was an unexplained cash credit; (iv) whether discrepancies between suppliers' invoices and the books justified additions for unexplained expenditure; (v) whether the difference between GST turnover and book turnover established suppression of sales; (vi) whether payment by an advertising agency to a newspaper publisher attracted tax deduction at source and consequent disallowance.

Issue (i): Whether the increase in professional and consultancy fees justified disallowance of business expenditure.

Analysis: Section 37 requires an examination of whether expenditure was incurred for business purposes. Production income had increased substantially, and invoices, service details, corresponding revenue and bank records supported the expenditure. No specific payment was identified as non-genuine, capital or personal. A comparison with the preceding year's aggregate turnover alone could not substitute the assessing authority's commercial judgment for that of the assessee.

Conclusion: The disallowance of professional and consultancy fees was deleted, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether loan repayment entries could be added as unexplained cash credits.

Analysis: Section 68 applies to sums credited in the assessee's books. Repayments are debits to the lender's account. The running account, lender's confirmation and disclosed bank statements also traced the advances and repayments, while no particular unexplained entry was identified.

Conclusion: The repayment entries could not be added as unexplained cash credits, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (iii): Whether the loan received from a lender was an unexplained cash credit.

Analysis: The lender's identity, creditworthiness and the transaction's genuineness were supported by confirmation, financial statements, bank records and an independent response to statutory notice. An earlier transfer to the lender had no established nexus with the subsequent loan. Non-deduction of tax on interest had separate consequences and did not, without further material, discredit the principal loan.

Conclusion: The loan was not an unexplained cash credit, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (iv): Whether discrepancies between suppliers' invoices and the books justified additions for unexplained expenditure.

Analysis: Section 69C requires expenditure to have been incurred and its source to remain unexplained. One discrepancy was reconciled through recognition of a purchase in the succeeding year and contractual deductions. Other invoices were disputed and neither recorded as liabilities nor shown to have been paid. No unrecorded expenditure or payment from an unexplained source was established.

Conclusion: Both additions for unexplained expenditure were deleted, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (v): Whether the difference between GST turnover and book turnover established suppression of sales.

Analysis: GST was reported on original invoice values, while subsequent commercial credit notes reduced amounts receivable in the books without reducing GST turnover. The credit notes and customer ledgers reconciled the difference apart from rounding; the higher amount added was not explained. There was no evidence that the adjusted amounts were nevertheless realised outside the books.

Conclusion: The addition for suppressed sales was deleted, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (vi): Whether payment by an advertising agency to a newspaper publisher attracted tax deduction at source and consequent disallowance.

Analysis: The invoices related to publication of advertisements by a newspaper publisher. The applicable CBDT circulars distinguish payments by clients to advertising agencies from payments by agencies to media for publication or broadcast. No separate production, consultancy or other independent work by the publisher was identified.

Conclusion: No tax deduction was required on the payment, and the related disallowance was deleted, in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The challenged additions and disallowances are excluded from the assessee's taxable income.

Ratio Decidendi: An addition for unexplained expenditure requires proof that expenditure was incurred and that its source was unexplained; a discrepancy with third-party invoices alone does not establish those conditions.

Issues: (i) Whether verification of the availability and eligibility of brought-forward business losses before allowing set-off is permissible; (ii) Whether capital gain computed as short-term capital gain under Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 on transfer of a depreciable immovable asset qualifying as a long-term capital asset is taxable at the rate under Section 112 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Issue (i): Whether verification of the availability and eligibility of brought-forward business losses before allowing set-off is permissible

Analysis: The quantum and character of a business loss are determined in the assessment year in which the loss arises and cannot be recomputed at the stage of set-off. However, set-off under Section 72 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 remains conditional upon verification from departmental records that the relevant returns were filed and that the losses remained eligible and available for carry forward. The verification direction was confined to those matters and did not authorise reassessment of the earlier years' losses.

Conclusion: Verification of the availability and eligibility of the brought-forward losses before granting set-off was valid; the issue is against the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether capital gain computed as short-term capital gain under Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 on transfer of a depreciable immovable asset qualifying as a long-term capital asset is taxable at the rate under Section 112 of the Income-tax Act, 1961

Analysis: The deeming fiction in Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 is limited to computation of capital gains and deems the gain, rather than the underlying asset, to be short-term. Computation of income and determination of the applicable tax rate are distinct stages. Accordingly, the fiction does not alter the long-term character of an asset for the purpose of the rate prescribed by Section 112 of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The factual period of holding required verification.

Conclusion: If the depreciable immovable property satisfies the prescribed holding period for a long-term capital asset, the gain computed under Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 is taxable at the rate under Section 112 of the Income-tax Act, 1961; the issue is in favour of the assessee, subject to verification of the holding period.

Final Conclusion: Set-off of earlier business losses remains subject to verification of their statutory availability, while the concessional rate applicable to a qualifying long-term depreciable asset is not displaced by the computational fiction in Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Ratio Decidendi: A deeming fiction under Section 50 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 is confined to capital-gains computation and does not convert a long-term depreciable asset into a short-term capital asset for applying the tax rate under Section 112 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Issues: (i) Whether the 113-day delay in filing the appeal warranted condonation; (ii) Whether the ex parte assessment and first-appellate orders warranted being set aside and the matter remanded for de novo adjudication on merits.

Issue (i): Whether the 113-day delay in filing the appeal warranted condonation.

Analysis: The affidavit attributed the delay to notices and the appellate order having been communicated to email addresses other than the address declared for the appeal, including an address of a former tax adviser. The explanation was not disputed by the Revenue. The delay was neither abnormal nor unexplained, and the cause shown was bona fide.

Conclusion: The 113-day delay was condoned and the appeal was admitted.

Issue (ii): Whether the ex parte assessment and first-appellate orders warranted being set aside and the matter remanded for de novo adjudication on merits.

Analysis: Assessment under Sections 144 and 144B of the Income-tax Act, 1961, and appellate adjudication under Section 250 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, require effective opportunity and determination in accordance with law. The assessment was ex parte, and the record indicated deficiencies in communication of notices. Neither the assessment nor the first-appellate order had adjudicated the matter on merits. A fresh merits determination was necessary after the assessee furnishes current contact details, attends the proceedings, and provides the required explanation and material.

Conclusion: The assessment and first-appellate orders were set aside for a fresh speaking and reasoned adjudication on merits.

Final Conclusion: The taxability of the investment and the related reassessment issues remain open for determination afresh after effective opportunity and consideration of the assessee's material.

Ratio Decidendi: An ex parte assessment and appellate determination that have not adjudicated the matter on merits require fresh adjudication after effective opportunity to the assessee.

Issues: (i) Whether revisionary jurisdiction under Section 263 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could be exercised where the deduction claimed under Section 80G had been specifically examined during assessment?
(ii) Whether CSR expenditure added back under Explanation 2 to Section 37(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could independently qualify for deduction under Section 80G?

Issue (i): Whether revisionary jurisdiction under Section 263 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could be exercised where the deduction claimed under Section 80G had been specifically examined during assessment?

Analysis: Revision under Section 263 requires an assessment order to be both erroneous and prejudicial to the interests of the Revenue. Clause (a) of Explanation 2 to Section 263 applies where necessary enquiry or verification was not made; it does not permit revision merely because a completed enquiry could have been more elaborate. The assessment record established that the specific Section 80G claim was queried, its disallowance was proposed for want of receipts, and supporting particulars and receipts were thereafter furnished and accepted. No actual defect in the donees' eligibility, payment mode, qualifying limit, receipts, or computation was identified. An absence of detailed discussion in the assessment order did not negate the enquiry demonstrably conducted.

Conclusion: The conditions for invoking Section 263 were not satisfied; revision for a fresh or more extensive enquiry was invalid. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether CSR expenditure added back under Explanation 2 to Section 37(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could independently qualify for deduction under Section 80G?

Analysis: Explanation 2 to Section 37(1) restricts the allowance of CSR expenditure in computing business income, whereas Section 80G provides an independent deduction from gross total income under Chapter VI-A. Where CSR expenditure has been added back while computing business income, there is no double deduction. Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 mandates CSR spending but ordinarily leaves a choice as to the eligible activity, implementation mode, and recipient. The specific exclusion of CSR contributions to identified funds under Section 80G indicates that CSR expenditure is not subject to a universal exclusion. A requirement that a donation must be voluntary in a sense beyond the statutory conditions cannot be imported into Section 80G.

Conclusion: CSR-related payments added back under Explanation 2 to Section 37(1) are not thereby disqualified from deduction under Section 80G; their eligibility must be independently tested under Section 80G. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The revisionary order was quashed and the original assessment was restored.

Issues: (i) Whether receipts from software maintenance, support and training services constitute fees for technical services under the India-Singapore Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement; (ii) Whether receipts from software migration and additional services constitute fees for technical services under the India-Singapore Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.

Issue (i): Whether receipts from software maintenance, support and training services constitute fees for technical services under the India-Singapore Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.

Analysis: Article 12(4)(b) requires that technical, managerial or consultancy services make available technical knowledge, experience, skill, know-how or processes enabling the recipient to apply them independently. The services comprised recurring remote assistance for software use, resolution of bugs and errors, standard updates without additional functionality, and training limited to proper use of the software. The Indian customers remained dependent on continuing assistance and did not acquire the technical capability to perform the services independently.

Conclusion: The maintenance, support and training receipts do not satisfy the make available condition and are not fees for technical services. This issue is decided in favour of the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether receipts from software migration and additional services constitute fees for technical services under the India-Singapore Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.

Analysis: The additional services were confined to migration of software from an old version to a new version. No material established that technical knowledge, know-how or skill was transferred to Indian customers so as to enable independent performance of such migration services. The make available condition was therefore not met; the receipts were business receipts and, in the absence of a permanent establishment in India, were not taxable in India.

Conclusion: The software migration and additional-service receipts are not fees for technical services and are not taxable in India. This issue is decided in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The impugned software-related service receipts remain outside Indian taxation under the treaty because no technical capability was made available to the customers and there was no permanent establishment in India.

Ratio Decidendi: Software support, training and migration services are not fees for technical services under Article 12(4)(b) unless they impart technical knowledge or skill enabling the recipient to apply the technology independently.

Issues: (i) Whether outstanding trade-creditor balances, continuously acknowledged in the books, could be treated as remission or cessation of liability taxable under section 41(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 merely because they remained unpaid for more than two years; (ii) Whether interest under section 234C of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could be computed with reference to assessed income rather than tax due on returned income.

Issue (i): Whether outstanding trade-creditor balances, continuously acknowledged in the books, could be treated as remission or cessation of liability taxable under section 41(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 merely because they remained unpaid for more than two years.

Analysis: Section 41(1) requires that an allowance or deduction was allowed in an earlier year and that the assessee obtained a benefit during the relevant previous year through remission or cessation of the trading liability. The Revenue identified no waiver, agreement, settlement, write-back, discharge or other event showing remission, cessation, or a benefit obtained during the relevant year. Mere age of a liability, absence of creditor confirmation or recovery proceedings, or expiry of limitation does not by itself extinguish the debt where the debtor continues to acknowledge it. Payment shortly after the year-end was relevant evidence inconsistent with an inference that the liability had already ceased at the balance-sheet date. The additional evidence also went to the root of the inference drawn under section 41(1).

Conclusion: The conditions for application of section 41(1) were not met; the creditor balances could not be treated as ceased liabilities. This issue is decided in favour of the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether interest under section 234C of the Income-tax Act, 1961 could be computed with reference to assessed income rather than tax due on returned income.

Analysis: Interest for deferment of advance tax is mandatory, but its computation for a company is governed by tax due on returned income, subject to the adjustments specified in the provision and due credit for tax deducted at source and advance tax. Assessed income could not be used as the basis merely because assessment was completed at a higher income.

Conclusion: Interest under section 234C must be recomputed on the tax due on returned income after statutory credits and verification of the assessee's computation. This issue is decided in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: An acknowledged trade liability does not become taxable income without an actual remission, cessation, or benefit in the relevant year, and advance-tax interest remains confined to the statutory basis of returned income.

Ratio Decidendi: An outstanding and acknowledged trading liability cannot be brought to tax under section 41(1) solely because it is old or time-barred; an actual remission, cessation, or benefit obtained in the relevant previous year must be established.

Issues: (i) Whether advertisement and publicity expenditure incurred with third parties constitutes an international transaction with associated enterprises warranting an arm's-length-price adjustment; (ii) Whether the loss eligible for carry-forward should be recomputed where the assessment order and computation sheet show different losses; (iii) Whether TDS/TCS credit of the transferor entity is available to the transferee upon amalgamation when the corresponding income is assessed in the transferee's hands.

Issue (i): Whether advertisement and publicity expenditure incurred with third parties constitutes an international transaction with associated enterprises warranting an arm's-length-price adjustment.

Analysis: Section 92B of the Income-tax Act, 1961 requires the existence of an international transaction before its arm's-length price can be determined. Advertisement and publicity expenditure incurred with third-party vendors for the assessee's own business does not, merely because it may incidentally benefit an associated enterprise or its brand, establish such a transaction. A common group code prescribing standards for commercial communications does not, without tangible material showing an arrangement or understanding to provide brand-promotion services to the associated enterprise, establish an international transaction.

Conclusion: The advertisement and publicity expenditure was not an international transaction in the absence of evidence of an arrangement or understanding with the associated enterprise; the transfer-pricing adjustment was deleted, in favour of the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether the loss eligible for carry-forward should be recomputed where the assessment order and computation sheet show different losses.

Analysis: The assessed loss and the loss recorded in the computation sheet for carry-forward differed. The loss eligible for carry-forward must correspond with the assessed income or loss and requires verification of the computation.

Conclusion: The issue was remitted for limited verification and correction of the loss eligible for carry-forward in accordance with law.

Issue (iii): Whether TDS/TCS credit of the transferor entity is available to the transferee upon amalgamation when the corresponding income is assessed in the transferee's hands.

Analysis: Section 199 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 read with Rule 37BA of the Income-tax Rules links tax credit to the assessment of the corresponding income. Following amalgamation, the transferee may claim TDS/TCS credit relating to the transferor where the relevant income is offered and assessed in the transferee's hands, subject to verification of the amalgamation scheme, tax credit and corresponding income.

Conclusion: Eligible TDS/TCS credit is to be granted to the transferee after verification of the relevant records, in favour of the assessee to that extent.

Final Conclusion: The AMP adjustment cannot survive without proof of an arrangement with the associated enterprise, while the carry-forward loss and transferee tax-credit claims require factual verification.

Ratio Decidendi: Advertisement and publicity expenditure constitutes an international transaction only where tangible material establishes an arrangement or understanding with the associated enterprise for incurring that expenditure.

Issues: Whether a non-executive Chairman or Director is personally liable for deposits accepted by a company merely by virtue of holding office, absent a personal guarantee, independent contractual undertaking, statutory liability, or other recognised legal basis.

Analysis: A company has a legal personality distinct from its Directors and shareholders, and its debts ordinarily remain its own. The deposit receipts evidenced transactions with the company. No evidence established that the Chairman had personally guaranteed repayment or independently undertaken liability. Holding the office of Chairman or Director when deposits were received did not, by itself, create personal liability.

Conclusion: The Chairman or Director was not personally liable for the company's deposit obligations merely by virtue of that office; personal liability was not established.

Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to anticipatory bail in an investigation alleging fraudulent availment of input tax credit.

Analysis: The gravity and magnitude of an alleged economic offence, including a cognizable and non-bailable offence under the GST enactments, are relevant but do not by themselves establish the necessity of arrest. The statutory power of arrest requires recorded reasons to believe and must be distinguished from the actual investigative necessity for custodial interrogation. That necessity is to be assessed with reference to the accused's individual role, cooperation, availability of documentary and electronic evidence, risk of abscondence or tampering, and whether investigation can proceed through measures short of custody. Parity with a similarly placed co-accused is relevant but not conclusive. Here, searches had already resulted in seizure of material, the investigation substantially concerned documentary and electronic evidence, the petitioner asserted continued cooperation, and the co-accused had been released on bail. Protective conditions could adequately preserve the investigation and address risks of non-cooperation or interference.

Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to anticipatory bail subject to conditions securing continued cooperation with the investigation and protecting the prosecution's interests.

Issues: (i) Whether an additional disallowance under section 14A read with Rule 8D could be made without examining the assessee's suo motu disallowance and recording dissatisfaction with it; (ii) Whether expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income under section 115BBF(2) could be determined by applying the ratio of total royalty receipts to gross expenditure.

Issue (i): Whether an additional disallowance under section 14A read with Rule 8D could be made without examining the assessee's suo motu disallowance and recording dissatisfaction with it.

Analysis: Section 14A(2) permits recourse to the prescribed method only after the Assessing Officer examines the assessee's actual claim with reference to its accounts and records dissatisfaction as to its correctness. The assessee had already made a disallowance relating to exempt income, but the assessment proceeded on the incorrect premise that no disallowance had been made. The recorded observations addressed a nil claim and did not evaluate the actual disallowance. The further amount computed under Rule 8D was also lower than the amount already disallowed by the assessee.

Conclusion: The additional disallowance under Rule 8D, including the corresponding book-profit adjustment, is deleted in favour of the assessee; the disallowance voluntarily made by the assessee remains undisturbed.

Issue (ii): Whether expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income under section 115BBF(2) could be determined by applying the ratio of total royalty receipts to gross expenditure.

Analysis: Section 115BBF(2) prevents expenditure having a nexus with qualifying royalty income from reducing other business income. It does not permit an indiscriminate apportionment of every profit-and-loss account expense merely by reference to gross receipts. The royalty included receipts not offered under the special provision, while the allocation base potentially included expenditure already disallowed and expenses exclusively connected with manufacturing and trading. The additional evidence concerning patent-wise royalty and expenditure required verification from the books and supporting records and was admitted under Rule 29.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee to the extent of fresh verification, the quantum of expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income is restored for a fact-specific recomputation; no final determination on the amount of disallowance is made.

Final Conclusion: The additional section 14A amount cannot be sustained, while attribution of expenditure to royalty income must be determined through a verified nexus-based exercise rather than gross-receipts apportionment.

Issues: (i) Whether the arbitrators were disqualified on account of prior service in a related maritime arbitration and inadequate disclosure; (ii) Whether Clause 62 of the Contract of Affreightment permitted unilateral termination for non-issuance of shipment nominations; (iii) Whether the award of damages and interest was sustainable.

Issue (i): Whether the arbitrators were disqualified on account of prior service in a related maritime arbitration and inadequate disclosure.

Analysis: The award arose from an international commercial arbitration, for which review under Section 34 is confined to the limited public-policy grounds; patent illegality is unavailable. Section 12 and Item 24 of the Fifth Schedule identify circumstances capable of giving rise to justifiable doubts as to independence or impartiality, while Explanation 3 recognises that maritime arbitrations may draw from a small pool of specialised arbitrators. The applicable maritime rules and Section 13 required a challenge within fifteen days. The appellant had knowledge of the arbitrators' participation in the related arbitration but did not raise its challenge within the prescribed period, resulting in waiver. Prior adjudication of a similar contractual issue, without material showing a closed mind, partiality, or lack of objective judgment, did not establish disqualification.

Conclusion: The arbitrators were not disqualified, and the award was not vitiated by conflict of interest or any deficiency in disclosure.

Issue (ii): Whether Clause 62 of the Contract of Affreightment permitted unilateral termination for non-issuance of shipment nominations.

Analysis: Clause 62 was required to be read with the agreement as a whole and alongside the force-majeure mechanism in Clause 61. The clause addressed a supplier's failure or inability to supply cargo, resulting in frustration of performance; it did not authorise termination because of the charterer's own failure to issue shipment nominations. The force-majeure provision was not invoked. The proposed construction would permit a party to benefit from its own breach and would undermine the binding shipment obligations under the contract.

Conclusion: Clause 62 did not permit unilateral termination for the appellant's own non-performance, and the termination was unjustified.

Issue (iii): Whether the award of damages and interest was sustainable.

Analysis: The damages calculation adopted the difference between the contractual freight rate and the relevant spot rate, applied to the affected tonnage, after notice of mitigation. This was a rational measure of contractual loss. The assessment did not violate the restricted public-policy standard applicable to review of an international commercial arbitral award, and the interest award was also within the arbitral determination.

Conclusion: The award of damages and interest was sustained.

Final Conclusion: The limited public-policy review furnished no basis to disturb the arbitral determination on liability, compensation, or interest.

Ratio Decidendi: Prior service by arbitrators in a related specialised arbitration does not, without material establishing a real likelihood of closed-mindedness or partiality, create justifiable doubts as to their independence or impartiality; an objection to their appointment must also be raised within the prescribed period.

Issues: Whether adjustment or recovery of an outstanding tax demand pending a first appeal could be challenged, and refund of the amount recovered claimed, where no stay application had been filed.

Analysis: Section 245 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the CBDT Office Memorandum dated 29.02.2016 contemplate a stay of demand only upon a request for such stay. Mere filing of an appeal does not suspend recovery, and a stay petition, when filed, is required to be decided within two weeks. No stay petition had been filed before the recovery was effected.

Conclusion: The recovery already effected was valid and no refund of the amount recovered was warranted. No further recovery shall be made until disposal of the first appeal.

Issues: Whether a cheque drawn on an account with a bank that subsequently merged with another bank becomes invalid, thereby warranting quashing of proceedings for dishonour under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Analysis: A bank merger transfers the merged bank's assets, liabilities, and customer accounts to the successor bank. Consequently, the account on which the cheque was drawn does not vanish merely because the original bank ceases to exist. An endorsement stating that there was no such bank could not, by itself, render the cheque invalid where the successor bank had taken over the account. The allegation that the cheque was misplaced and the circumstances concerning closure of the account are matters requiring proof in trial.

Conclusion: A cheque does not become invalid solely because the drawee bank has merged into a successor bank; such merger does not preclude proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Issues: Whether the penalty order in Form GST MOV-09 could be sustained without determining whether the e-way bill accompanying the vehicle was fabricated or was genuine but omitted the vehicle number due to a technical glitch.

Analysis: The e-way bill produced showed a generation time of 11:34 a.m., rendering the explanation for non-reflection of the vehicle number implausible. However, the system-generated e-way bill without the vehicle number required verification to ascertain whether it was fabricated or was a genuine bill affected by a technical glitch.

Conclusion: The impugned penalty order could not be sustained pending verification of the authenticity and validity of the e-way bill, requiring fresh determination by the proper officer.

Issues: (i) Whether the assessment order and DRC-7 could confirm a demand beyond the scope of the show cause notice and without accounting for tax already paid; (ii) Whether cancellation of GST registration for discontinuance of business could be refused solely because of an outstanding tax demand.

Issue (i): Whether the assessment order and DRC-7 could confirm a demand beyond the scope of the show cause notice and without accounting for tax already paid.

Analysis: The detailed assessment order and DRC-7 travelled beyond the tax proposal in the show cause notice. Although the detailed order recorded payment of Rs. 47,57,105 through belated GSTR-3B returns and appropriated it towards the demand, the DRC-7 did not account for that payment and confirmed the entire demand. A tax determination must remain within the scope of the show cause notice.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee, the assessment order was set aside for fresh adjudication after issuance of a fresh show cause notice, conditional on payment of 50% of the tax demand proposed in the original notice.

Issue (ii): Whether cancellation of GST registration for discontinuance of business could be refused solely because of an outstanding tax demand.

Analysis: Discontinuance of business is an express ground for cancellation under Section 29(1)(a) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Section 29(3) preserves the statutory power to recover outstanding amounts even after cancellation; therefore, an outstanding demand does not by itself justify rejecting an application for cancellation.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee, the rejection of the cancellation application was set aside and the application was directed to be reconsidered in accordance with law.

Final Conclusion: Fresh tax proceedings must be founded on a proper notice and account for payments already made, while cancellation of registration must be assessed independently of the continuing statutory recovery mechanism.

Issues: Whether an adjudication imposing tax, interest and penalty under the GST law can be made without granting a personal hearing merely because the assessee did not opt for one.

Analysis: Section 75(4) mandates an opportunity of hearing where a written request is made or where an adverse decision is contemplated. The requirement applies independently when the proposed adjudication is adverse and is not displaced by the absence of a request for personal hearing.

Conclusion: An adverse adjudication under Section 74 imposing tax, interest and penalty without affording an opportunity of hearing is invalid, notwithstanding that the assessee did not opt for a personal hearing.

Issues: Whether the rejection of the application for stay of disputed tax demand pending appeal warranted interference and an unconditional stay.

Analysis: Section 220(6) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 permits consideration of a stay of demand during the pendency of an appeal. The impugned order did not address the material grounds bearing on the petitioner's challenge, including the limitation applicable to the reassessment notice. A prima facie case on limitation existed, although that question remained for final determination in the appellate proceedings. The assessment was also high-pitched, the addition being nearly five times the returned income, and the inference of financial soundness from turnover did not properly reflect the petitioner's income.

Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to an unconditional stay of the entire disputed demand pending disposal of its appeal.

Issues: (i) Whether a declaration in the return can override Form No. 10-IEA already filed to opt out of the new tax regime; (ii) Whether the section 143(1) adjustment was invalid for want of prior intimation; and (iii) Whether deductions under the old tax regime must be considered when the CPC applies that regime.

Issue (i): Whether a declaration in the return can override Form No. 10-IEA already filed to opt out of the new tax regime.

Analysis: Section 115BAC requires the statutory option concerning the tax regime to be exercised through the prescribed Form No. 10-IEA. The assessee had filed that form opting out of the new regime, whereas the subsequently filed return contained a conflicting selection. A contrary entry in the return could not replace or reverse the option exercised through the prescribed form.

Conclusion: Form No. 10-IEA governed the tax-regime option, and the conflicting return declaration was ineffective. The issue is against the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether the section 143(1) adjustment was invalid for want of prior intimation.

Analysis: The assessee did not produce material from the income-tax portal or otherwise establish non-receipt of the prior intimation. The decision concerning an admitted failure to issue notice or proposed adjustment was factually distinguishable.

Conclusion: The challenge to the section 143(1) adjustment for alleged absence of prior intimation fails. The issue is against the assessee.

Issue (iii): Whether deductions under the old tax regime must be considered when the CPC applies that regime.

Analysis: Having treated the assessee as opted out of the new regime and subjected income to the old regime, the corresponding deductions available under that regime required consideration. The matter required limited verification of the eligible deductions.

Conclusion: Deductions eligible under the old tax regime must be considered where that regime is applied. The issue is in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The assessment is restored for limited consideration of deductions eligible under the old tax regime.

Ratio Decidendi: Where a statutory tax-regime option is required to be exercised through a prescribed form, a conflicting declaration in the return cannot supersede that form.

Issues: Whether the Tribunal's exclusion of certain comparable companies for determining the arm's length price was contrary to Rule 10B or vitiated by perversity.

Analysis: Chapter X of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provides the statutory framework for transfer-pricing determination. Selection or exclusion of comparables is a factual, data-driven exercise that must conform to Rule 10B of the Income-tax Rules. Findings on comparability ordinarily do not warrant interference unless shown to be contrary to law or perverse. The Tribunal excluded two companies on the basis of functional dissimilarity, and Revenue produced no material establishing that the factual finding was erroneous or perverse.

Conclusion: The exclusion of the comparables was upheld, and the substantial questions of law were answered in favour of the assessee.

Issues: (i) Whether disallowance of commission payments under Section 40(a)(ia) for alleged non-compliance with withholding obligations under Section 195 was sustainable; (ii) Whether amounts recovered from employees and liabilities written back were business income forming part of the profits of an export undertaking rather than income from other sources.

Issue (i): Whether disallowance of commission payments under Section 40(a)(ia) for alleged non-compliance with withholding obligations under Section 195 was sustainable.

Analysis: The governing coordinate-bench ruling on the applicability of Section 195 to the commission payments and the consequential disallowance under Section 40(a)(ia) was followed.

Conclusion: The disallowance of commission payments was unsustainable. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee and against the Revenue.

Issue (ii): Whether amounts recovered from employees and liabilities written back were business income forming part of the profits of an export undertaking rather than income from other sources.

Analysis: Sections 10A and 10B operate as special and self-contained provisions for eligible export undertakings. Incidental income arising from activities integral to the export business, undertaken on commercial expediency, forms part of the undertaking's profits and cannot be separately assessed as income from other sources under Section 56.

Conclusion: The receipts were properly treated as business income of the export undertaking. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee and against the Revenue.

Final Conclusion: The treatment of the commission payments and the incidental business receipts remains governed by the applicable binding precedents.