https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=790178 Section 144C requires the Assessing Officer to issue only a draft assessment order to an eligible assessee and complete assessment after the statutory procedure is followed. An order styled as a draft but which itself computes taxable income, determines tax payable, and is accompanied by demand and penalty notices is in substance a final assessment order, not a draft order. Such non-compliance is a jurisdictional defect and cannot be cured by section 292B. Demand and penalty notices may be issued only after assessment is completed in accordance with section 144C, so the impugned assessment and consequential notices were quashed. en-us Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:20:28 +0530 TaxTMI RSS Generator https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=790178 Section 144C requires the Assessing Officer to issue only a draft assessment order to an eligible assessee and complete assessment after the statutory procedure is followed. An order styled as a draft but which itself computes taxable income, determines tax payable, and is accompanied by demand and penalty notices is in substance a final assessment order, not a draft order. Such non-compliance is a jurisdictional defect and cannot be cured by section 292B. Demand and penalty notices may be issued only after assessment is completed in accordance with section 144C, so the impugned assessment and consequential notices were quashed. Case-Laws Income Tax Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530 https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=790178