Faceless Appeal Scheme, 2020.
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....ho files appeal under section 246A or section 248 of the Act. (v) "authorised representative" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in sub-section (2) of section 288 of the Act; (vi) "automated allocation system" means an algorithm for randomised allocation of cases, by using suitable technological tools, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, with a view to optimise the use of resources; (vii) "automated examination tool" means an algorithm for standardised examination of draft orders, by using suitable technological tools, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, with a view to reduce the scope of discretion; (viii) "computer resource" shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in clause (k) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000); (ix) "computer system" shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in clause (l) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000); (x) "computer resource of appellant" shall include the registered account in the designated portal of the Income-tax Department, or the Mobil....
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....gistered e-mail address" means the e-mail address at which an electronic communication may be delivered or transmitted to the addressee, including- (a) the email address available in the electronic filing account of the addressee registered in designated portal; or (b) the e-mail address available in the last income-tax return furnished by the addressee; or (c) the e-mail address available in the Permanent Account Number database relating to the addressee; or (d) in the case of addressee being an individual who possesses the Aadhaar number, the e-mail address of addressee available in the database of Unique Identification Authority of India ;or (e) in the case of addressee being a company, the e-mail address of the company as available on the official website of Ministry of Corporate Affairs; or (f) any e-mail address made available by the addressee to the income-tax authority or any person authorised by such authority; (xxiii) "registered mobile number" means the mobile number of the appellant, or his authorised representative, appearing in the user profile of the electronic filing account registered by the appellant i....
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....or more Commissioner(Appeals); (b) such other income-tax authority, ministerial staff, executive or consultant to assist the Commissioner (Appeals) as considered necessary by the Board. 5. Procedure in appeal.--(1) The appeal referred to in paragraph 3 shall be disposed of under this Scheme as per the following procedure, namely:__ (i) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall assign the appeal to a specific appeal unit in any one Regional Faceless Appeal Centre through an automated allocation system; (ii) where the appellant has filed the appeal after the expiration of time specified in sub-section (2) of section 249 of the Act, the appeal unit may, - (a) in case, it is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not filing the appeal within the said time, admit the appeal; or (b) in any other case, reject the appeal, under intimation to the National Faceless Appeal Centre; (iii) where the appellant has applied for exemption from the operation of clause (b) of sub-section (4) of section 249 of the Act, the appeal unit may, - (a) admit the appeal and exempt the appellant from the operation of provi....
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.... Assessing Officer, as the case may be, the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall send such response or report to the appeal unit, and where no such response or report is filed, inform the appeal unit; (ix) the appellant may file additional ground of appeal in such form, as may be specified by the National Faceless Appeal Centre, specifying therein the reason for omission of such ground in the appeal filed by him; (x) where the additional ground of appeal is filed- (a) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall send the additional ground of appeal to the National e- Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, for providing comments, if any, and to the appeal unit; (b) the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may, shall furnish their comments, within the date and time specified or such extended date and time as may be allowed on the basis of an application made in this behalf, to the National Faceless Appeal Centre; (c) where comments are filed by the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall send such comments to th....
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....l evidence, for reasons to be recorded in writing, and intimate the National Faceless Appeal Centre; (e) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall intimate the admission or rejection of additional evidence, as the case may be, to the appellant and the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be; (xiv) where the additional evidence is admitted,- (a) the appeal unit shall, before taking such evidence into account in the appellate proceedings, prepare a notice to provide an opportunity to the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, within the date and time specified there into examine such evidence or to cross-examine such witness, as may be produced by the appellant, or to produce any evidence or document, or any witness in rebuttal of the evidence or witness produced by the appellant, and furnish a report thereof, and send such notice to the National Faceless Appeal Centre; (b) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall serve the notice, as referred to in sub-clause (a),upon the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be; (c) the National e-Asse....
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.... to the National Faceless Appeal Centre. (b) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall serve the notice, as referred to in sub-clause (a), upon the appellant. (c) the appellant shall, within the date and time specified in the notice or such extended date and time as may be allowed on the basis of application made in this behalf, file his response to the National Faceless Appeal Centre; (d) where a response is filed by the appellant, the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall send such response to the appeal unit, or where no such response is filed, inform the appeal unit. (xviii) The appeal unit shall, after taking into account all the relevant material available on the record, including the response filed, if any, by the appellant or any other person, as the case may be, or report furnished by the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, and after considering any matter arising out of the proceedings in which the order appealed against was passed, notwithstanding that such matter was not raised in the appeal, - (a) prepare in writing, a draft order in accordance with the provisions of section 251 of the ....
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....e (xvii) and prepare a revised draft order as per the procedure laid down in clause (xviii); or (b) in any other case, prepare a revised draft order as per procedure laid down in clause (xviii); and send the such order to the National Faceless Appeal Centre along with the details of the penalty proceedings, if any, to be initiated therein; (xxiv) the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall after finalising the appeal as per item (A) of sub-clause (b) of clause (xix) or clause (xxi) or upon receipt of revised draft order as per clause (xxiii), pass the appeal order and- (a) communicate such order to the appellant; (b) communicate such order to the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner as per sub-section (7) of section 250 of the Act; (c) communicate such order to the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, for such action as may be required under the Act; (d) where initiation of penalty has been recommended in the order, serve a notice on the appellant calling upon him to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed upon him und....
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.... sends a draft order, the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall pass the order for imposition of penalty as per such draft, and communicate such order, to, - (a) the appellant or any other person, as the case may be; and (b) the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer for such action as may be required under the Act. 7. Rectification Proceedings. - (1) With a view to rectifying any mistake apparent from the record the National Faceless Appeal Centre may amend any order passed by it, by an order to be passed in writing. (2) Subject to the other provisions of this Scheme, an application for rectification of mistake referred to in sub-paragraph(1) may be filed with the National Faceless Appeal Centre by the, - (a) appellant or any other person, as the case may be; or (b) appeal unit preparing or reviewing or revising the draft order; or (c) the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be. (3) Where any application referred to in sub-paragraph (2) is received by the National Faceless Appeal Centre, it shall assign such application to a specific appeal unit in any one Regional Faceless Appe....
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....d the order to the National Faceless Appeal Centre. (9) The National Faceless Appeal Centre shall upon receipt of draft order, as referred to in sub-paragraph (8), pass an order as per such draft and communicate such order, - (a) to the appellant or any other person, as the case may be; and (b) to the National e-Assessment Centre or the Assessing Officer, as the case may be, for such action as may be required under the Act. 8. Appellate Proceedings. -(1)An appeal against an order passed by the National Faceless Appeal Centre under this Scheme shall lie before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal having jurisdiction over the jurisdictional Assessing Officer. (2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of the scheme, where any order passed by the National Faceless Appeal Centre or Commissioner (Appeals) is set-aside and remanded back to the National Faceless Appeal Centre or Commissioner (Appeals) by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal or High Court or Supreme Court, the National Faceless Appeal Centre shall pass the order in accordance with the provisions of this Scheme. 9. Exchange of communication exclusively by electronic mode.--For the purposes of thi....
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.... 2000 (21 of 2000). 12. No personal appearance in the Centres or Units.--(1) A person shall not be required to appear either personally or through authorised representative in connection with any proceedings under this Scheme before the income-tax authority at the National Faceless Appeal Centre or Regional Faceless Appeal Centre or appeal unit set up under this Scheme. (2) The appellant or his authorised representative, as the case may be, may request for personal hearing so as to make his oral submissions or present his case before the appeal unit under this Scheme. (3) The Chief Commissioner or the Director General, in charge of the Regional Faceless Appeal Centre, under which the concerned appeal unit is set up, may approve the request for personal hearing referred to in sub-paragraph (2), if he is of the opinion that the request is covered by the circumstances referred to in clause (xi) of paragraph 13. (4) Where the request for personal hearing has been approved by the Chief Commissioner or the Director General, in charge of the Regional Faceless Appeal Centre, such hearing shall be conducted exclusively through video conferencing or video telephony, including use....
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