Recording of satisfaction in the assessment order is a mandatory...

Recording of satisfaction in the assessment order is a mandatory pre-condition for initiating penalty under section 271D where the alleged violation concerns section 269SS. The Tribunal held that the additional legal ground could be examined on the existing record because it went to the root of the penalty validity. As the assessment order accepted the assessee's explanation for the cash deposits and did not record any satisfaction for penalty initiation, the penalty proceedings could not be sustained. The penalty order was quashed and the assessee's appeal was allowed.