TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2019 (4) TMI 871
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....re even on this basis the penalty imposed u/s.271(1)(c) of the Act cannot be sustained. 3. There is a delay of about 150 days in filing the CO by the Assessee. The notice in revenue's appeal was served on the Assessee on 14.8.2018. The CO was not filed within the time within which it ought to have been filed for the reason that the Managing director of the Assessee, which is a State Government Undertaking, was transferred in December, 2018 and no new managing director was appointed by the State Government. The filing of CO had therefore to be approved by the Board. It took time to take such approval and hence the delay in filing CO. An affidavit by Shri S.K.Kulkarni, Accounts Officer of the Assessee has been filed in support of the petition for condonation of delay in filing CO. 4. Though the learned opposed the prayer for condonation of delay in filing CO, we are of the view that in the light of the reasons adduced for the delay in filing CO, the same deserves to be condoned. The Assessee is not guilty of gross negligence or latches. Hence the delay in filing the CO is condoned. 5. The facts and circumstances under which penalty was imposed on the Assessee by the AO are that ....
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....e notice cannot be sustained. 8. We have also perused the show-cause notice issued u/s.274 of the Act. The AO in the said show cause notice has not struck off the irrelevant portion as to whether the charge against the Assessee is "concealing particulars of income or furnishing of inaccurate particulars of income". 9. The learned DR relied on the order of the CIT(A). He placed reliance on the decision of the Hon'ble ITAT Bangalore Bench in the case of Shri P.M. Abdulla Vs. ITO ITA No.1223 & 1224/Bang/2012 order dated 17.10.2016 taking a view that absence of specific mention in the show cause notice u/s.274 of the Act about the charge u/s.271(1)(c) of the Act is not fatal to levy of penalty u/s.271(1)(c) of the Act. In coming to the aforesaid conclusion, the Bench followed decision of Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of CIT Vs. Sri Durga Enterprises (2014) Taxmann.com 442 (Karnataka). A Co-ordinate bench in the case of Shri A Nagarju (ITA No.2196/Bang/2016 dated 6/4/2018), has considered the decision cited by the learned DR in the case of P.M. Abdullah (supra) and has held that the same is contrary to the decision of Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of Manjunatha C....
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.... any said grounds mentioned therein and then penalty proceedings is initiated, in the notice to be issued under Section 274, they could conveniently refer to the said order which contains the satisfaction of the authority which has passed the order. However, if the existence of the conditions could not be discerned from the said order and if it is a case of relying on deeming provision contained in Explanation-1 or in Explanation- 1(B), then though penalty proceedings are in the nature of civil liability, in fact, it is penal in nature. In either event, the person who is accused of the conditions mentioned in Section 271 should be made known about the grounds on which they intend imposing penalty on him as the Section 274 makes it clear that assessee has a right to contest such proceedings and should have full opportunity to meet the case of the Department and show that the conditions stipulated in Section 271(1)(c) do not exist as such he is not liable to pay penalty. The practice of the Department sending a printed farm where all the ground mentioned in Section 271 are mentioned would not satisfy requirement of law when the consequences of the assessee not rebutting the initial p....
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....order of penalty which, when passed, was not sustainable. 61. The Assessing Officer is empowered under the Act to initiate penalty proceedings once he is satisfied in the course of any proceedings that there is concealment of income or furnishing of inaccurate particulars of total income under clause (c). Concealment, furnishing inaccurate particulars of income are different. Thus the Assessing Officer while issuing notice has to come to the conclusion that whether is it a case of concealment of income or is it a case of furnishing of inaccurate particulars. The Apex Court in the case of Ashok Pai reported in 292 ITR 11 at page 19 has held that concealment of income and furnishing inaccurate particulars of income carry different connotations. The Gujarat High Court in the case of MANU ENGINEERING reported in 122 ITR 306 and the Delhi High Court in the case of VIRGO MARKETING reported in 171 Taxman 156, has held that levy of penalty has to be clear as to the limb for which it is levied and the position being unclear penalty is not sustainable. Therefore, when the Assessing Officer proposes to invoke the first limb being concealment, then the notice has to be appropriately marked....
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....lanation offered is not bonafide, an order imposing penalty could be passed. m) If the explanation offered, even though not substantiated by the assessee, but is found to be bonafide and all facts relating to the same and material to the computation of his total income have been disclosed by him, no penalty could be imposed. n) The direction referred to in Explanation IB to Section 271 of the Act should be clear and without any ambiguity. o) If the Assessing Officer has not recorded any satisfaction or has not issued any direction to initiate penalty proceedings, in appeal, if the appellate authority records satisfaction, then the penalty proceedings have to be initiated by the appellate authority and not the Assessing Authority. p) Notice under Section 274 of the Act should specifically state the grounds mentioned in Section 271(1)(c), i.e., whether it is for concealment of income or for furnishing of incorrect particulars of income q) Sending printed form where all the ground mentioned in Section 271 are mentioned would not satisfy requirement of law. r) The assessee should know the grounds which he has to meet specifically. Otherwise, principles of natural justice is....