Reassessment Invalid: Tribunal Quashes Tax Reopening Due to Lack of New Evidence, Mere Opinion Change Insufficient.

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....The case involves the validity of reopening of assessment u/s 147/148 based on reasons to believe, where the head of income was changed from business to income from other sources due to poor quality material in sub-contract execution. The Appellate Tribunal held that no fresh information was available to the Assessing Officer (AO) at the time of recording reasons for reopening, rendering the reassessment a mere change of opinion. The law requires reasons for reopening to be based on new information not previously considered. The Tribunal cited legal precedents to support this principle. The AO's reliance on post-survey inquiries by the same AO was deemed insufficient for reopening. The Tribunal found no basis for escapement of income without quantifying the alleged tax evasion. The assessment under section 147 was deemed illegal and quashed in favor of the assessee.....