Evaluating Jurisdictional Validity in Taxation: The Significance of Draft Assessment Orders under Section 144C

Draft assessment procedure required under law: omission invalidates assessment proceedings and denies assessee DRP objection rights.

Section 144C mandates a non-obstante, mandatory draft assessment procedure for eligible assessees, requiring issuance of a draft order, opportunity to file objections, and consideration by a three-member Dispute Resolution Panel. A foreign entity qualifying as an eligible assessee must be afforded this process; failure to issue the draft order is a substantive lapse that deprives the assessee of the DRP forum and engenders jurisdictional infirmity in any consequent final assessment, demand, or penalty. Revisionary powers do not obviate the Section 144C mandate.