Penalty authority of Assessing Officer expanded; prior Joint Commissioner approval required for penalties exceeding prescribed statutory limit.

Penalties under specified sections will be levied by the Assessing Officer instead of the Joint Commissioner, subject to the prior approval requirement where penalties exceed the statutory threshold in sub section (2) of section 274; a consequential amendment to clause (n) of sub section (1) of section 246A is proposed. Section 271BB, a penalty tied to an omitted parent provision, is proposed to be omitted. The amendments are to take effect from the first day of April following enactment.

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