Reopening of assessment: AO must form independent subjective satisfaction; reliance solely on audit opinions invalidates reassessment.

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....Reopening of assessment under section 147/148 was contested where notices issued beyond four years relied principally on audit party or internal audit opinions and documents. The article explains the legal principle that an assessing officer must have his own information and form subjective satisfaction - mere reliance on audit reports or internal notes amounts to change of opinion and cannot sustain reassessment. It cites precedent that audit opinions are not 'information' per se and that reopening on identical materials is impermissible, resulting in decisions favouring the assessee where the AO lacked independent application of mind and subjective satisfaction.....