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Smart Summary

Structured Summary of the Opinion: ITA No. 260/JP/2022 (Paras Kuhad v. DCIT, Circle-7, Jaipur)

Factual and Procedural Background

This appeal arises from an order of the National Faceless Appeal Centre (NFAC/Ld. CIT(A)), Delhi dated 17.06.2022, which in turn arose from an intimation passed by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, CPC, Bangalore dated 25.03.2019, for the assessment year 2017-18. The assessee, Shri Paras Kuhad (a Senior Advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India), filed the original return of income for A.Y. 2017-18 on 28.10.2017 declaring total income of Rs. 6,12,66,320 and filed a revised return under section 139(5) on 30.09.2018 declaring total income of Rs. 6,19,02,760 (an increase of Rs. 6,36,440).

The revised return was processed and by intimation under section 143(1)(a) an adjustment/addition of Rs. 4,37,99,929 was made to the returned income. The assessee appealed to the Ld. CIT(A) (NFAC), who dismissed the appeal. Separately, the jurisdictional Assessing Officer (ACIT, Circle‑7, Jaipur) completed scrutiny assessment under section 143(3) by order dated 20.12.2019, making additions of Rs. 1,37,53,473 on account of differences in professional receipts. The assessee contested the intimation and the confirmation of adjustments before the Tribunal and asserted, inter alia, that the intimation under section 143(1)(a) had merged into the subsequent section 143(3) scrutiny order and was therefore not maintainable.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the adjustments made by CPC by intimation under section 143(1)(a) (resulting in an addition of Rs. 4,37,99,929) could be sustained when notice under section 143(2) for scrutiny had already been issued prior to the intimation.
  2. Whether an intimation issued under section 143(1)(a) merges into a subsequent final assessment order passed under section 143(3) (Doctrine of Merger), particularly where the 143(3) order did not make the same additions.
  3. Whether the Assessing Officer's alleged acceptance (express or implied) of a rectification application and the removal of demand on the e‑portal ought to affect the validity of the intimation and the adjustments made.
  4. Whether the CIT(A) erred in confirming the adjustments while disregarding the assessee's contentions regarding merger, rectification and online demand status.

Arguments of the Parties

Appellant's Arguments

  • The intimation dated 25.03.2019 under section 143(1)(a) made adjustments of Rs. 4,37,99,929 which were arbitrary and not sustainable.
  • The assessment for the year was completed under section 143(3) by order dated 20.12.2019 in which no such addition (as in the 143(1) intimation) was made; therefore, by virtue of the Doctrine of Merger the intimation under section 143(1)(a) merged into and was superseded by the 143(3) order.
  • The assessee had filed a rectification application against the intimation and furnished a copy to the AO; since the 143(3) assessment omitted those adjustments, the AO had effectively accepted the rectification (implied acceptance), and the intimation adjustments should be held to be removed.
  • On the income‑tax e‑portal the demand pertaining to the intimation under section 143(1) was not shown as payable and the assessee never paid any such demand; the absence of the demand further indicates that the AO had acted to remove the intimation's effect.
  • Notice under section 143(2) (13.08.2018) was issued before the intimation under section 143(1)(a) (26.11.2018); therefore the intimation was issued without jurisdiction and could not be relied on once scrutiny proceedings were in progress.

Respondent's / Revenue's Position (as reflected in the record)

  • The Ld. CIT(A) after considering facts concluded that the additions made by the Assessing Officer did not suffer from infirmity. In his reasoning (as recorded in the order), the CIT(A) observed that the assessee had not satisfactorily correlated amounts reduced from business profits with amounts shown in exempt income or capital gains schedules; accordingly grounds of appeal asserting incorrect adjustments were dismissed by Ld. CIT(A).
  • The Revenue (through the departmental representative) filed a status report and the Assessing Officer provided a factual report explaining the status of the intimation on departmental records and the e‑portal. The AO reported that the intimation under section 143(1) dated 25.03.2019 was not reflected on the online system and the consequent demand was also not reflected.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Vodafone Idea v. CIT, (2020) 19 SCC 12 After issuance of notice under section 143(2), exercise of powers under section 143(1) is not permissible; AO must proceed under section 143(3). The Tribunal relied on the principle that 143(1) adjustments cannot be made once 143(2) notice issues, to support the argument that the intimation could not prevail over subsequent scrutiny proceedings.
Gujarat Poly‑Ax Electronics Ltd. v. CIT, (1996) (Gujarat High Court citation as cited in the order) Supports the proposition that exercise of powers under section 143(1) is not open after issuance of notice under section 143(2). Cited by the Tribunal (via Vodafone) to demonstrate prior judicial support for the limitation on 143(1) after 143(2) issuance.
CIT v. Gujarat Electricity Board, (2020) 18 SCC 813 Distinguishes the nature of exercise under section 143(1) (summary processing) from sections 143(2) and 143(3) (detailed scrutiny); highlights differing standards and procedures. Used to explain why an order under section 143(1) (a summary order) is different in nature from a section 143(3) scrutiny order and why the latter controls following a proper scrutiny.
C.E.SC. Ltd. v. Deputy Commissioner of Income‑Tax, (2003) 262 ITR 243 (Calcutta HC) Held that an order passed under section 143(1)(a) merges into and ceases to be operative once a final order under section 143(3) is passed. The Tribunal relied on this authority to support the proposition that the 143(1) intimation ceases to have effect after the 143(3) order and that only the 143(3) order remains operative.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The Tribunal proceeded by treating the grounds collectively because they were interlinked and concerned the same core issue of whether the intimation under section 143(1)(a) could stand once scrutiny proceedings were initiated and a final assessment under section 143(3) was completed.

Key analytical steps taken by the Tribunal (as reflected in the opinion):

  1. Chronology and jurisdictional sequencing were examined: notice under section 143(2) (13.08.2018) preceded the intimation under section 143(1)(a) (26.11.2018). The Tribunal recorded authorities (notably Vodafone and Gujarat Poly‑Ax) supporting the principle that after issuance of a 143(2) notice the Assessing Officer should proceed under 143(3) and cannot validly make fresh adjustments under 143(1).
  2. The Tribunal noted that a full scrutiny assessment under section 143(3) was completed by the jurisdictional AO on 20.12.2019. The assessee produced that 143(3) order before the CIT(A) and the Tribunal; the 143(3) order did not include the additions reflected in the earlier 143(1) intimation.
  3. The Tribunal recognized settled case law (C.E.SC. Ltd. v. DCIT) establishing that an intimation under section 143(1)(a) is a summary order which merges into and is superseded by a subsequent final order under section 143(3), i.e., only the 143(3) order remains operative.
  4. The assessee also argued rectification was filed and that the e‑portal no longer showed any demand attributable to the intimation; these factual contentions were supported by the AO's factual/status report submitted during the appeal proceedings.
  5. The Tribunal observed that the Ld. CIT(A) had not addressed the merger issue adequately in the appellate order. The departmental representative furnished the AO's explanation that the 143(1) intimation dated 25.03.2019 was not reflected on the online system and the consequent demand was not reflected either.
  6. Given that the very foundation of the assessee's grievance (the intimation and its demand) was not shown to exist on the departmental system and that a later scrutiny order (143(3)) had been passed by the jurisdictional AO, the Tribunal concluded the grievance was rendered infructuous. The Tribunal therefore allowed the appeal on this technical basis without deciding the substantive merits of the disputed additions.

Holding and Implications

Holding: The Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeal. The operative outcome recorded in the order is that the appeal is allowed (order pronounced on 26/09/2022).

Core ruling emphasized: DISPOSED OF — Appeal allowed.

Implications and immediate consequences:

  • Direct effect on the parties: The Tribunal found that the intimation under section 143(1)(a) dated 25.03.2019 was not reflected on the departmental system and any demand arising from it was not shown; coupled with the subsequent 143(3) scrutiny order, the assessee's grievance in respect of that intimation was rendered infructuous. As a result, the appeal was allowed on technical grounds and the impugned confirmation of adjustments (as sustained by the CIT(A)) was set aside in terms of the observations recorded by the Tribunal.
  • On precedent and broader law: The Tribunal's order applied established authorities on the distinction between section 143(1) and 143(3) proceedings and on the doctrine of merger (as cited in the reasons). The Tribunal resolved the case on a factual/technical basis (non‑reflection of the 143(1) intimation on the system and the existence of the 143(3) order). The opinion does not announce a new legal principle; rather it rests on applying existing precedents and factual findings to the case at hand.

    PARAS KUHAD, JAIPUR v. DCIT, Circle-7, Jaipur

    v k ;dj v i h yh ; v f /kd j. k] t;i q j U ;k; i hB ] t; i q j IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, JAIPUR BENCHES,'B' JAIPUR Jh lna hi xkslkbZ] U;kf ;d l nL; , o a Jh jk BkMs d e y's k t ; UrHkk bZ] y[s kk l n L; d s l e{k BEFORE: SHRI SANDEEP GOSAIN, JM & SHRI RATHOD KAMLESH JAYANTBHAI, AM v k;dj vi hy l-a @ITA No. 260/JP/2022

    f u /kZ kj.k o"kZ @Assessment Year : 2017-18

    Shri Paras Kuhad c uke The DCIT

    307-309,Ganpati Plaza Vs. Circle-7

    M.I. Road, Jaipur Jaipur

    LFkk ;h y [s kk l-a @t h v kb vZ kj l-a @PAN/GIR No.: ACWPK 8738 R

    v i hy k FkhZ @Appellant iz R ;Fkh Z @Respondent

    fu / kZ kfjrh dh v ks j l@s Assessee by : Shri O.P. Agarwal, CA &

    Shri Maniesh Agarwal, CA

    jkt Lo dh v ksj l@s Revenue by: Shri Sanjay Dhariwal, CIT-DR

    lqu o kb Z dh r kjh[ k @ Date of Hearing : 15/09/2022

    mn ?kk "s k. kk dh r kjh[ k @Date of Pronouncement : 26/09/2022

    v k n's k@ ORDER

    PER: RATHOD KAMLESH JAYANTBHAI, A.M.

    This appeal filed by the assessee is directed against order of the order of National Faceless Appeal Centre, Delhi [ hereinafter referred to as (NFAC/ld. CIT(A)) ] for the assessment year 2017-18 dated 17-06-2022 which in turn arise from the order of the passed by Assistant Commissioner of Income tax, CPC, Bangalore [ here in after referred as CPC ] dated

    25.03.2019.

    1

    2. The assessee has marched this appeal on the grounds which were revised vide letter dated 22-08-2022 and thus, the grounds raised in this appeal are as under :-.

    ''1. On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, Ld. CIT(A) erred in confirming the adjustments made by CPC, (resulting in addition of Rs. 4,37,99,929/-) to the total income of assessee, vide intimation issued u/s 143(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act (the Act), arbitrarily.

    1.1 That, Id. CIT(A) further erred in confirming the adjustments made to the total income vide intimation issued u/s 143(1) by grossly ignoring the submission made by assessee that assessment for the year under appeal was completed u/s 143(3) of the Act vide order dated 20.12.2019, whereby no such addition was made. Appellant prays that once assessment is completed after thorough examination/verification of details, such order attains finality and intimation issued u/s 143(1)(a) merges into same by virtue of Doctrine of Merger. Since, the adjustments made vide intimation u/s 143(1)(a) do not find place in order passed u/s 143(3), it implies satisfaction of assessing officer on such issues, therefore addition made vide intimation deserves to be deleted.

    1.2 That, ld.CIT(A) has further erred in not considering the submission made by assessee and the copy of "Rectification Application" filed against intimation was furnished before Id.AO and the adjustments made vide intimation were found uncalled for in Assessment order passed u/s 143(3) of the Act. It is therefore prayed that Id.AO impliedly accepted the request for Rectification made by assessee and thus the action of Id.CIT(A) in confirming the adjustments to the total income deserves to be bad in law.

    1.3 That ld.CIT(A) has further erred in confirming adjustments made by CPC by grossly ignoring the submission of assessee that even on the 'e-portal' of Income Tax Department, only the demand pertaining to Scrutiny Assessment is appearing and assessee never paid the demand so created vide intimation u/s 143(1)(a) under challenge in present appeal, which further implies that Assessing Officer accepted the Rectification Application filed by assessee and as a result demand pertaining to intimation was removed from the e- portal. It is therefore prayed that order passed by Id.CIT(A) is not in accordance with law and deserves to be set aside.''

    3. The brief facts as culled out from the records is that the assessee is a Senior Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India and had filed his

    2

    Return of Income for the year under appeal u/s 139(1) on 28.10.2017 declaring total income of Rs. 6,12,66,320/- (APB 1-7). The Return of Income so filed was revised u/s 139(5) on 30.09.2018 i.e. within the statutory time limit provided for revising the return. The return was revised declaring total income at Rs. 6,19,02,760/- (APB 8 14) which amounted to an onward revision of return by Rs. 6,36,440/- [6,19,02,760 6,12,66,320]. The Revised Return filed by the assessee was taken-cognizance of and it was processed by the department and vide intimation u/s 143(1)(a) assessee was informed that adjustment of Rs.4,37,99,929/- was made to the Returned Income of assessee, resulting into an addition of Rs. 4,37,99,929/-.

    4. Aggrieved from the said initiation u/s. 143(1)(a) of the Act the assessee moved an appeal before the ld. CIT(A). The ld. CIT(A) has dismissed the appeal of the assessee by holding that :

    It is seen from the above that the appellant has reduced an amount of Rs. 3,62,21,756 from the schedule of Business Income (BP) as income from Capital Gains considered under other head, but only an amount of Rs. 19,86,017 has been shown in the Schedule of Capital Gains income. The appellant argued that the total Exempt Income shown in Schedule (El) is much more than the total amount reduced from the Business Profit. The explanation of the appellant cannot be accepted. The exempt income which has been reduced from the Schedule of Business Income (BI) is only Rs. 9,65,342. The exempt income shown in the schedule of Exempt Income (EI) in the form of "Long Term Capital Gains from transactions on which STT is paid of Rs. 5,54,67,094 has nothing to do with the income credited to P & L account considered under other heads/or chargeable u/s

    115 BBF in the form of Capital Gains of Rs. 3,62,21,756. The appellant has

    3

    reduced only Rs. 9,65,342 from the profit & loss account on account of exempt income. The appellant could not correlate the Capital Gains income which has been reduced from the business with any of the incomes shown by him in the Exempt Income (El) Schedule. The appellant has shown only Rs.19,86,017 in the schedule of Capital Gains. The addition made by the Assessing Officer do not suffer from any infirmity. Therefore, the Ground of Appeal 2 is hereby dismissed. It is seen from the above that the appellant has reduced an amount of Rs. 1,01,24,337 from the schedule of Business Income (BP) as income from Other Sources considered under other head, but an amount of only Rs. 2,79,081 has been shown in the Schedule of Capital Gains income. The appellant argued that the total Exempt Income shown in Schedule (EI) is much more than the total amount reduced from the Business Profit. The explanation of the appellant cannot be accepted. The exempt income which has been reduced from the Schedule of Business Income (BI) is only Rs. 9,65,342. The exempt income shown in the schedule of Exempt Income (EI) in the form of "Dividend income of Rs. 2,69,126 and Others, including exempt income of minor child of Rs. 12,34,504 has nothing to do with the "Income credited to P & L account considered under other heads or chargeable u/s 115 BBF" in the form of Other Income of Rs 1,01,24,337 The appellant has reduced only Rs. 9,65,342 from the profit & loss account on account of exempt income. The appellant could not correlate the Capital Gains income which has been reduced from the business with any of the incomes shown by him in the Exempt Income (El) Schedule. The appellant has shown only Rs 2,79,081 in the schedule of Capital Gains and the remaining amount of Rs 98,45,256 has not been shown by the appellant. The addition made by the Assessing Officer do not suffer from any infirmity. Therefore, the Ground of Appeal 3 is hereby dismissed.

    5. As the issues involved in the present appeal is related the adjustments made u/s. 143(1)(a) after issuance of notice u/s. 143(2) of the Act and all the grounds are inextricably interlinked or in fact interwoven, therefore, all the grounds are considered together and decided as such.

    6. During the course of hearing of the appeal the ld. AR of the assessee submitted that the entire proceedings leading to the order dated 17.06.2022 were without jurisdiction, since the same were initiated and concluded

    4

    during pendency of regular assessment proceedings u/s 143(2)&(3). Further, the computation order dated 25.03.2019 merged with the final assessment order dated 20.12.2019, where in no addition on the ground of LTCG was made. Thus, it is to be noted that notice u/s 143(2) for scrutiny assessment (for the assessment year appeal) was issued in the name of assessee on 13.08.2018 which date is prior to the date notice u/s 143(1)(a) issued on 26.11.2018 which has culminated in the impugned order. The notice was therefore without jurisdiction. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in Vodafone Idea v. CIT, (2020) 19 SCC 12 cited with approval the decision of the Hon'ble Gujarat High in the case of Gujarat Poly-Ax Electronics Ltd. v. CIT, 1996 SCC OnLine Guj 147: (1996) 222 140, that "exercise of powers under Section 143(1) is not made permissible after issuance notice under Section 143(2) of the Act. ... we are of the opinion that after issuance of notice Section 143(2) of the Act, it is not open for the assessing officer to make adjustment or to order under Section 143(1) of the Act but he has to make assessment in accordance with i.e. under Section 143(3) of the Act.".

    (Para 10.1.2 @ Pg. 34). Vide notice dated 24.10.2019, assessee was intimated that the case was taken up for complete scrutiny. Details sought during scrutiny assessment were furnished and assessment proceedings 143(3) were completed by ld. ACIT Circle-7, Jaipur in physical mode vide

    5

    order dated 20.12.2019 (i.e. jurisdictional AO), whereby addition of Rs.1,37,53,473/- was made on account difference in professional receipts as per ITR vis-à-vis ITS Data (APB 36-48). Basically, difference arose for the reason that assessee always followed cash system of accounting, whereas the clients of the assessee deducted tax at source on accrual basis without the actual payment having been received by the assessee till 31" March of the relevant year. It is the settled principle of Income Tax Law the order passed in terms of intimation u/s 143(1), being a summary assessment order gets merged into the order passed u/s 143(3). In the case of C.E.SC. Ltd. v. Deputy Commissioner Income-Tax, (2003) 262 ITR 243, the Hon'ble Calcutta High Court has held that "the only which remained operative is the one passed under section 143(3) of the Act. The order passed under section 143(1)(a) ceased to be operative and merged in the final order." It is further submitted that the nature of exercise of power under sub-section (1) is completely different from the exercise of power under sub-sections (2) and (3). This is for the most logical reason that order u/s 143(1) is issued without detailed scrutiny and without confronting the findings in summary order to the assessee, whereas order u/s 143(3) is passed after obtaining all the necessary details / information from the assesse. Reference in this regard may be made to the aforesaid

    6

    decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Vodafone, wherein it was held as follows:

    16. The nature of exercise of power under sub-section (1) as against that under sub-sections (2) and (3) is thus completely different. In the former case, the matter is processed, only to check whether any apparent inconsistencies are evident on the face of the return and connected material which may call for any adjustment while in the latter case, the matter is scrutinised after taking into account such evidence as the assessee may produce. The exercise in the latter case is to ensure that there is no understating of income or overstating of loss or underpayment of the tax in any manner. In other words, the veracity of the return is checked threadbare rather than considering mere apparent inconsistencies from the return. Thus, the nature of power under these two provisions, as found by this Court in CIT v. Gujarat Electricity Board [CIT v. Gujarat Electricity Board, (2020) 18 SCC 813] continues to bear the same distinction.

    7. During the proceedings before CIT(A), detailed submission were made before Id. CIT(A) (APB 49-54) and as a matter of evidence the necessary copy of assessment order passed u/s 143(3) was also submitted to ld.CIT(A) (APB 36-48). It was also submitted before ld.CIT(A) that assessee was issued notice for recovery of outstanding demand on 25.02.2020 for A.Y. 2017-18, which demand only pertained in respect to the order passed u/s 143(3) (APB 55-56). Moreover, no demand appears payable as of now and at the time of passing the order in appeal under challenge, on the income tax portal of the assessee pertaining to intimation u/s 143(1) (APB 57). It is thus assumed that the ld. AO having taken cognizance of the fact of issuance of notice u/s 143(2) acted upon removing the demand created u/s 143(1) which is a positive act on the part

    7

    of the ld. AO and as such this has been an act of fair recognition of the theory of merger having proper legal mandate and authority. However, Id. CIT(A), while adjudicating the appeal totally skipped the issue raised before him in respect to the merger of the 143(1) order dated 25.03.2019 into the subsequent order dated 20.12.2019 passed u/s 143(3). The ld. AR of the assessee further submitted that no soon the proceedings u/s 143(2) are commenced the impact and effect of intimation u/s 143(1) totally vanishes and such an intimation becomes nonest. Based on these set of arguments the ld. AR of the assessee submitted that on this score along the order in appeal deserve to be set a side and be declared having merged into the order u/s. 143(3) passed in the case of the assessee. As the issue was technical and of verification of facts, the ld. DR was directed to submit the status report in the matter. The ld. DR filed a copy of the letter dated 23.08.2022 written by the ld. AO explaining the status of the intimation as per records same is extracted here in below :

    8

    9

    8. Since, the very basis being the intimation dated 25.03.2019 is not reflected on the system and the consequent demand or adjustment already merged into the order of the AO passed u/s. 143(3) of the Act. There cannot remain any grievance on account of intimation dated 25.03.3019. Even the ld. AO has submitted a factual report and submitted that the intimation u/s. 143(1) dated 25.03.2019 is not reflected in to the online system and consequent demand there upon also. Thus, once the intimation which the very cause of the grievance of the assessee is not reflected and existed on records the consequent grievance also not existed and thus the appeal of the assessee becomes infructuous.

    9. Since, we have considered the appeal of the assessee on technical aspects without going into the merits of the issue appeal of the assessee is allowed in terms of the observations made above.

    10. In the results the appeal of the assessee is allowed. Order pronounced in the open court on 26/09/2022 Sd/- Sd/-

    ¼lna hi xkls kbZ½ ¼ jkBkMs dey's k t;UrHkkbZ ½ (Sandeep Gosain) (Rathod Kamlesh Jayantbhai) U; kf ;d lnL;@Judicial Member y[s kk ln L; @Accountant Member

    10

    Tk;iqj@Jaipur fnukda @Dated:- 26/09/2022 *Ganesh Kumar

    vkn's k dh ifz rfyfi vxfzs 'kr@Copy of the order forwarded to:

    1. The Appellant- Shri Paras Kuhad, Jaipur

    2. iRz ;Fkh@Z The Respondent- The DCIT, Circle-7, Jaipur

    3. vk;dj vk;Dq r@ The ld CIT

    4. vk;dj vk;Dq r¼vihy½@The ld CIT(A)

    5. foHkkxh; ifz rfuf/k] vk;dj vihyh; vf/kdj.k] t;ijq @DR, ITAT, Jaipur

    6. xkM Z QkbyZ @ Guard File (ITA No. 260/JP/2022) vkn's kkuqlkj@ By order,

    lgk;d ita hdkj@Asstt. Registrar

    11

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    PARAS KUHAD, JAIPUR v. DCIT, Circle-7, Jaipur
    (Sep 26, 2022)