The key points are regarding the penalty imposed u/s 271D read...

The key points are regarding the penalty imposed u/s 271D read with Section 269SS, and the issue of whether the penalty orders were time-barred. The Assessing Officer made a recommendation for initiating penalty on 08/12/2017. According to Section 275(1)(c), the first condition is that the financial year in which the penalty proceedings were initiated should have expired on 31/03/2018. The second condition is that six months from the end of the month in which the action for penalty imposition was initiated should have expired on 30/06/2018. However, the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) initiated the penalty on 07/07/2018, despite the recommendation being made on 08/12/2017. Therefore, the penalty orders are barred by the limitation period prescribed u/s 275(1)(c) of the Income Tax Act. Consequently, the orders imposing penalty were deleted, and the decision was against the revenue authorities.