Natural justice in assessment proceedings: matter remitted for fresh merits review after no reply was filed to the show cause notice.

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....Assessment was challenged for being confirmed without a reply to the show cause notice, raising breach of natural justice. The Court noted that the impugned order was passed only because no reply had been filed, while the record also showed attachment of the bank account and full recovery of the arrears for the relevant year. The matter was remitted for fresh consideration on merits, with liberty to the petitioner to file a reply with supporting documents and with prior notice before the fresh order. The remand was made conditional: if the reply was not filed within the stipulated time, the impugned assessment order would stand confirmed.....