Prognosis Securities Private Limited v. Income Tax Officer, Ward 5/1 And Ors

ORDER SHEET WPO/990/2023IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTACONSTITUTIONAL WRIT JURISDICTIONORIGINAL SIDE PROGNOSIS SECURITIES PRIVATE LIMITEDVSINCOME TAX OFFICER, WARD 5/1 AND ORS BEFORE: The Hon'ble JUSTICE MD. NIZAMUDDIN Date: 12[th] May, 2023. Appearance:Mr. Rites Goel, Adv.…For the Petitioner Mr. Om Narayan Rai, Adv.Mr. Soumen Bhattacharjee, Adv.…For the Respondents The Court: Heard learned counsel appearing for the parties. Affidavit of service filed in Court be kept with the records. By this writ petition, petitioner has challenged the impugned orderdated 30[th] July, 2022 under Section 148A(d) of the Income Tax Act, 1961relating to assessment year 2016-17 by raising the pure question of lawrelating to the jurisdiction of the assessing officer concerned in passing theaforesaid impugned order by non-compliance of the formalities of takingapproval of the specified authority mentioned in Section 151(ii) of theIncome Tax Act, 1961. Admitted position in this case is that impugned order under Section148A(d) of the Act has been passed after a lapse of three years from the endof the relevant assessment year and in this case specified authority is notthe Principal Commissioner of Income Tax from whom approval has beentaken before passing the aforesaid impugned order and it appears on a plain reading of Section 151(ii) of the said Act that Principal CIT from whomapproval has been taken is not the specified authority for the purpose ofapproval under Section 148 and Section 148A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Considering the facts and circumstances of this case, submission of theparties and the aforesaid factual and legal position, the aforesaid impugnedorder under Section 148A(d) of the Act dated 30[th] July, 2022 and allsubsequent proceedings are quashed. However, quashing of the impugned order and subsequent proceedingswill not be a bar on the part of the Income Tax Authorities concerned toproceed further in accordance with law from the stage such irregularity hasbeen committed, after taking approval from the ‘specified authority’. In view of the discussion and observation made above, this writpetition being WPO 990 of 2023 stands disposed of. (MD. NIZAMUDDIN, J.) TR/