Default in complying with provisions of or with conditions prescribed
under the Income-tax Act would attract certain penalty and in critical cases
prosecutions as well. There are three modes built in the fiscal
legislation for encouraging tax compliance:
(a) Charge of Interest;
(b) Imposition of penalty;
(c) launching of prosecution
against tax delinquents.
While charging of interest is compensatory on character, the imposition
of penalty and institution of prosecution proceedings act as strong deterrents
against potential tax delinquents. Chapter XXI of Income-tax Act, 1961, contain
various provisions empowering an Income-tax Authority to levy penalty in case
of certain defaults in search cases.
Penalty in case of Search
At present, the
penalty provisions existing in Income-tax Act relating to search and seizure
action carried out under section 132 of the Act are summarised as under : –
S. No.
|
Section
|
Applicability
|
1.
|
270A
|
Penalty for under - reporting and
misreporting of income
[With effect from assessment year
2017-18]
|
271(1)(c) read with Explanation 5A
[Applicable upto assessment year 2016-17]
|
Applicable to search initiated on or after 01.06.2007 and
for the years other than specified previous years defined in section 271AAA /
271AAB (1) / (1A)
|
|
2.
|
271AAA
|
Applicable to Search carried out on or after 01.06.2007 but before
01.07.2012 AND for specified previous years.
|
271AAB (1)
|
Applicable for search initiated on or after 01.07.2012 but
before 15.12.2016 AND for specified previous years
|
|
271AAB (1A)
|
Applicable for search initiated on or after 15.12.2016 AND
for specified previous years
|
(1) Penalty for under - reporting and
misreporting of income [Section 270A]
[With effect from
assessment year 2017-18]
Section 270A
has been inserted by the Finnce Act, 2016, with effect from 01.04.2017 i.e. from
the assessment year 2017-18. Under this section, the Assessing Officer, CIT
(Appeals) or Principal CIT or CIT may, during the course of any proceedings
under the Act, levy penalty if a person has under-reported his income. The penalty may range from 50% to
200%.
|
Under-reported income [Section 270A(2)]
A person shall be considered to have under-reported his income,
if –
(a) the income assessed
is greater than the income determined in the return processed under clause (a)
of sub-section (1) of section 143;
(b) the income assessed is greater than the
maximum amount not chargeable to tax, where no return of income has been furnished;
(c) the income reassessed is greater than the
income assessed or reassessed immediately before such reassessment;
(d) the amount of deemed total income assessed or
reassessed as per the provisions of section 115JB or section 115JC, as the case
may be, is greater than the deemed total income determined in the return
processed under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143;
(e) the amount of deemed total income assessed as
per the provisions of section 115JB or section 115JC is greater than the
maximum amount not chargeable to tax, where no return of income has been filed;
(f) the
amount of deemed total income reassessed as per the provisions of section 115JB
or section 115JC, as the case may be, is greater than the deemed total income
assessed or reassessed immediately before such, reassessment;
(g) the
income assessed or reassessed has the effect of reducing the loss or converting
such loss into income.
Computation of under- reported income [Section
270A(3)]
(i) Income
is assessed for the first time
(a)
Return is furnished
Ø
Assessed income – Income as
per intimation under section 143(1)(a)
(b) Return is not furnished
(A) In the case of a Company, firm or local
authority
Ø
Assessed income
(B) Others
Ø
Assessed Income – Maximum
amount not chargeable to tax
(ii) Income is reassessed
(a) Reassessed income –
Assessed income as per preceeding order
(b)
Loss case
Ø
Difference between income
or loss assessed and loss claimed
Intangible
Addition Section 270A (4) & (5)
Section 270A(4) is somewhat similar to
erstwhile explanation 2 to section 271(1) and provides that where the source of
any receipt, deposit or investment in any assessment year is claimed to be an
amount added to income or deducted while computing loss, as the case may be, in
any preceding assessment year and no penalty was levied in such preceding
assessment year then, the underreported income shall include such amount as is
sufficient to cover such receipt, deposit or investment.
Further,
section 270A(5) specifies that the amount for the purpose of subsection (4)
shall firstly be from the immediately preceding assessment year and then from
the year preceding that and so on.
Under-reporting exclusions - Addition to
returned Income – No Under-Reported Income [Section 270A(6)]
Section
270A(6) prescribe following six situations, when addition to retuned income
will not be considered as under-reported income.
(i) Bona fide
(a) Assessee offer an
explanation
(b)
Assessee should have disclosed all material facts to substantiate the
explanation
(c) the Assessing
Officer/CIT or PCIT/CIT(A) is satisfied that the explanation is bona fide and
the assessee has disclosed all the material facts to substantiate the
explanation offered
(ii) Estimated amount of under-reported income if :
(a) Amounts are correct
and complete
(b) But method employed is such
that income cannot be deducted therefrom
(iii) Estimated
amount of under-reported income if :
(a) Ahas estimated addition/ disallowance on same
issue but on a lower side
(b)
offered to tax such lower amount
(c)
Disclosure of all related material facts
(iv) Additions
on account of ALP (arm’s length price) determined by Transfer Pricing Officer (TPO)
The amount of under-reported income is represented by any
Transfer Pricing addition made in conformity with the ALP (arm’s length price) determined by the Transfer Pricing Officer,
where the assessee had maintained information and documents as prescribed under
section 92D, declared the international transaction under Chapter X, and,
disclosed all the material facts relating to the transaction Transfer Pricing
adjustments of information maintained, transaction reported ad disclosure of
facts
(v) Search cases
covered by Section 271AAB
The amount of undisclosed
income referred to in section 271AAB
Penalty For Under-Reporting [Section 270A(7)]
The penalty referred to in section 270A(1) shall be
a sum equal to 50% of the amount of tax payable on under-reported income
Where
the under-reporting is because of misreporting than provision of Section
270A(6) shall not apply [Section 270A(8)]
Section 270A(8) provides that incase where
the under-reporting is because of misreporting than provision of sub-section(6)
shall not apply (i.e. exceptions not applicable in case of Misreporting) and
also that the penalty shall be levied at 200% of the amount of tax payable on
under reported income.
“Misreporting of income” means [Section 270A(9)]
As per
section 270A(9), the cases of misreporting of income reffered to in section
270A(8) shall be the following namely:-
(a) Misrepresentation or suppression of facts;
(b) Failure to record investments in the books of account;
(c) Claim of expenditure not substantiated by any evidence;
(d) Recording of any false entry in the books of account;
(e) Failure to record any receipt in books of account having a bearing
on total income; and
(f)
Failure to report any
international transaction or any transaction deemed to be an international
transaction or any specified domestic transaction, to which the provisions of
Chapter X apply.
KEY NOTE
In the above cases penalty @ 200% of the tax
leviable on the amount of Unreported Income. Under-reporting shall be
considered as misreporting.
Tax payable in respect of the under-reported
income [Section 270A(10)]
The tax
payable in respect of the under-reported income shall be—
(a) where no return of
income has been furnished and the income has been assessed for the first time,
the amount of tax calculated on the under-reported income as increased by the
maximum amount not chargeable to tax as if it were the total income;
(b) where the total
income determined under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143 or
assessed, reassessed or recomputed in a preceding order is a loss, the amount
of tax calculated on the under-reported income as if it were the total income;
(c) in any other case determined in accordance
with the formula—
(X - Y)
where,
X = the amount of tax calculated on the
under-reported income as increased by the total income determined under clause
(a) of sub-section (1) of section 143 or total income assessed,
reassessed or recomputed in a preceding order as if it were the total income;
and
Y
= the amount of tax calculated on the total
income determined under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143 or
total income assessed, reassessed or recomputed in a preceding order.
Quantum of penalty
that can be levied under section 270A
If income is
under-reported due to misreporting of income, then penalty shall be levied at
200% of tax payable on such under-reported income.However, if income is
under-reported due to any other circumstances, then penalty shall be 50% of tax
payable on under-reported income.
In case of under reporting
|
50% of the amount of tax payable on the
under reported income
|
In case of Misreporting of income
|
200% of the amount of tax payable on under
reported income
|
KEY NOTE
For Example
If your income is say Rs.
20,00,000 and you have not reported an income of Rs 4,00,000 while filing your
ITR. Then Assessing Officer can impose a penalty under section 270A of about Rs
60,000 (50% of the tax on under-reported income, i.e., Rs 1,20,000
(400000*30%)). However, If the under reporting is due to misreporting of income
then penalty can be up to 200% of the tax on unreported income. That
means 200% of Rs. 1,20,000 (400000*30%) amounting to Rs. 2,40,000.
Penalty under section 271(1)(c) of the
Income-tax Act, 1961, read with the Explanation 5A thereof [Applicable upto Assessment year 2016-17]
Penalty under section 271(1)(c) of the Act, is leviable for
concealment of income or furnishing inaccurate particulars of such income.
Whereas, Explanation 5A creates a
deeming fiction in respect of undisclosed income/assets declared during the
course of search as follows:
Where undisclosed asset/income is found
during the course of search initiated under section 132 on or after 01.06.2007 for
any previous year which has ended before the date of search and,—
(a)
|
where
the return of income for such previous year has been furnished before the
said date but such income has not been declared therein; or
|
(b)
|
the
due date for
filing the return of income for such previous year has expired but the
assessee has not filed the return,
|
then,
notwithstanding that such income is declared by him in any return of income
furnished on or after the date of search, he shall, for the purposes of
imposition of a penalty under section 271(1)(c), be deemed to have
concealed the particulars of his income or furnished inaccurate
particulars of such income.
Text of Explanation 5A to Section 271(1)(c)
Explanation
5A.—Where,
in the course of a search initiated under section 132 on or after the 1st day
of June, 2007, the assessee is found to be the owner of—
(i ) any
money, bullion, jewellery or other valuable article or thing (hereafter in
this Explanation referred
to as assets) and the assessee claims that such assets have been acquired by
him by utilising (wholly or in part) his income for any previous year; or
(ii ) any
income based on any entry in any books of account or other documents or
transactions and he claims that such entry in the books of account or other
documents or transactions represents his income (wholly or in part) for any previous
year,
which
has ended before the date of search and,—
(a) where the return of
income for such previous year has been furnished before the said date but such
income has not been declared therein; or
(b) the due date for filing
the return of income for such previous year has expired but the assessee has
not filed the return,
then,
notwithstanding that such income is declared by him in any return of income
furnished on or after the date of search, he shall, for the purposes of imposition
of a penalty under clause (c)
of sub-section (1) of this section, be deemed to have concealed the particulars
of his income or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income.
Section 271(1)(c) : Penalty – Concealment – Penalty
imposed on addition made on the basis of confessional statement of assessee and
supplier after search was held to be valid.
The
levy of penalty was not on estimated basis but based on confessional statement
of the Assessee and the supplier post the search action is based on the
incriminating evidence which was revealed on the proceedings pursuant to search
and seizure action that led to the addition and hence the levy of penalty is
justified. However, the penalty shall be levied to the extent of tax sought to
be evaded relating to the additions finally sustained by Tribunal - (Related
Assessment year 2007-08 , 2008-09)
[Dr. P. Sasikumar v. CIT
(2018) 163 DTR 358 (Ker)]
No penalty for mere
non-reflection of Income surrendered voluntarily in ITR
In the present case, the assessee not
only surrendered the income during the course of survey but also paid the tax
thereon before filing the return of income. However, the assessee did not
reflect the surrendered amount and tax paid thereon in the said return but when
the mistake was pointed out, the assessee surrendered that income. It is well
settled that the assessment proceedings and the penalty proceedings are two
different and separate proceedings. Therefore, even when some addition is to be
made to the income of the assessee, it is not always necessary that the penalty
under section 271(1)(c) of the Act is to
be levied. In the present case, it cannot be said that the surrendered income
was not voluntarily and the assessee wanted to conceal the income since the tax
had already been paid on the amount which was surrendered during the course of
survey.
Moreover, the Assessing Officer in the notice issued under
section 274 r.w.s. 271 of the Act (copy of which is placed ate page no. 28 of
the assessee’s paper book) was not sure as to whether the assessee concealed
the particulars of income or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income
which is evident from the said notice wherein neither of the two was struck
off. (Related Assessment Year : 2009-10)
[Sudhir Khandelwal v.
ITO - Appeal Number : ITA No. 4950/Del/2017 - Date of Judgement :
07.05.2018 (ITAT Delhi)]
Penalty under section 271(1)(c) can not be imposed
based on original Return in section 153A assessment
When
the revised return is accepted and the income is assessed as per the
revised income, there is no scope for penalty. In the case of Kirit Dahyabhai
Patel v. ACIT, (2017) 80 Taxmann.com 162 (Guj), the Hon’ble High
Court held that in view of specific provision of Section 153A, the return of
income filed in response to notice under section 153A is to be considered
as return filed under section 139, as the Assessing Officer has made assessment
on the said return and, therefore, the return has to be considered for the
purpose of penalty under section 271(1)(c) of the Act and the penalty is to be
levied on the income assessed over and above the income returned under section
153A, if any. Admittedly, in this matter both the returned income and the
assessed income are nil. On this ground also, we cannot sustain the penalty order.
(Related Assessment Year : 2009-10) to 2013-14
(M/s OSE
Infrastructure Ltd. v. ACIT Appeal Number : ITA Nos. 5891 to 5895/Del/2016 -
Date of Judgement : 14.08.2018 (ITAT Delhi)
(2) Penalty under section 271AAB - where search has been
initiated on or after 01.07.2012
Where search
has been initiated on or after 15.12.2016 [Section 271AAB (1A)]
Section
|
Conditions for applicability
of the penalty
|
Quantum
of Penalty as % of Undisclosed income of specified previous year
|
271AAB(1A)(a)
|
If the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) Assessee must have admitted the undisclosed
income in statement recorded under section
132(4)
(b)
Assessee specifies & substantiates the manner in which such undisclosed
income was derived
(c)
Pays Tax & Interest on such undisclosed income before the specified date;
(d)
Files the Return of Income for specified previous year declaring such
undisclosed income therein
|
30% of undisclosed income of specified previous year
|
271AAB(1A)(a)
|
60% of undisclosed income of the specified previous year in any other
case.
|
60% of undisclosed income of the specified previous year
|
Where search
has been initiated on or after 01.07.2012 but before 15.12.2016 [Section 271AAB
(1A)]
Section
|
Conditions for applicability
of slab of the penalty
|
Quantum
of Penalty as % of Undisclosed income of specified previous year
|
271AAB(1)(a)
|
If the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) Assessee must have admitted the undisclosed
income in statement recorded under section 132(4)
(b)
Assessee specifies & substantiates the manner in which such undisclosed
income was derived
(c) on or before the specified
date—
(i)
pays the tax, together with
interest, if any, in respect of the undisclosed income; and
(ii) furnishes the return of income for the specified previous year
declaring such undisclosed income therein.
|
10% of undisclosed income of specified previous year,
|
271AAB(1)(b)
|
If the following conditions are satisfied:
(a)
Assessee does not admit the undisclosed income in statement recorded under
section 132(4)
(b)
on or before the specified date—
(i) declares
such income in the return of income furnished for the specified previous
year; and
(ii) pays the
tax, together with interest, if any, in respect of the undisclosed income.
|
20% of undisclosed income of specified previous year,
|
271AAB(1)(c)
|
in any other case
i.e. where undisclosed income of specified previous year
, if it is not covered by the provisions of clauses (a) and (b) of section
271AAB(1).
|
30% to 90% – (Flat 60% w.e.f. 01.04.2017) of undisclosed income of
specified previous year,
|
Penalty
- Search initiated on or after 1st day of July 2012 - Levy of penalty on the
basis of loose sheets found on the course of search was held to be not justified
as loose sheets represented only projection -Imposition of penalty is directory
and not mandatory
Dismissing the appeal of the revenue the Tribunal
held that ; Levy of penalty on the basis of loose sheets found on the course of
search was held to be not justified as loose sheets represented only projection
.Imposition of penalty is directory and not mandatory. (Related
Assessment year 2013-14)
[ACIT
v. Marvel Associates. (2018) 194 TTJ 338 : 170 ITD 353 : 166 DTR 409 (ITAT
Vishakha)]
Where
search has been initiated before 01.07.2012
Section
|
Conditions for applicability of the
penalty
|
Quantum of
penalty
|
271AAA
|
·
where search has been initiated before 01.07.2012
• undisclosed income found
|
10% of
undisclosed income
|
Penalty-Search
initiated on or after 1st day of July 2012 - Disclosure of undisclosed income -
Disclosed manner of earning of income and paid tax along with interest - liable
to pay penalty at 10% and not at 30%
Tribunal held that, when the assessee suomotu admitted
undisclosed income and substantiated manner in which such undisclosed income
was earned and had also paid tax together with interest, assessee is
liable to pay penalty at rate of 10 per cent in terms of clause (a) of section
271AAB(1) but not under clause (c) at rate of 30 per cent of section 271AAB(1).
(Related Assessment Year : 2013-14)
[ACIT v.
Vishal Agarwal. (2019) 175 DTR 127 : 174 ITD 125 : (ITAT Kolkata); ACIT v.
Shailaja Park (P) Ltd (2019) 175 DTR 127 (ITAT Kolkata); ACIT v. Vikash Agarwal
(2019) 175 DTR 127 (ITAT Kolkata)]
Penalty
- Search initiated on or after 1st June, 2007 – Failure to specify and
substantiate manner in which undisclosed income was derived rather embarked
upon mercy plea that he was making surrender to buy peace of mind and avoid
litigation - levy of penalty is held to be justified
Pursuant to notice under section 153A, assessee
filed its return wherein certain income was surrendered on account of
unexplained investment in construction of a project and difference in stock. Assessing
Officer levied the penalty for failure to
specify and substantiate manner in which undisclosed income was arrived. CIT(A)
confirmed the order of Assessing Officer.
On appeal the Tribunal held that failure to specify and substantiate manner in
which undisclosed income was derived rather embarked upon mercy plea that he
was making surrender to buy peace of mind and avoid litigation- levy of penalty
is held to be justified. (Related Assessment year 2009-10)
[Narsi
Iron & Steel (P) Ltd. v. DCIT (2019) 175 ITD 213 (ITAT Delhi)]
Search
initiated on or after 1st June, 2007 – Manner of earning the undisclosed income
to be given in the statement under 132(4) only if a question is asked to that
effect- Deletion of penalty is held to be justified
As per sub-section (2) of section 271AAA, no
penalty is leviable under sub-section (1) if the assessee in his statement
recorded under section 132(4) admits the undisclosed income, specifies the
manner in which such income has been earned and satisfies certain other
conditions. Held that where the assessee had admitted the undisclosed income
but not specified the manner in which such income was earned in his statement
under section 132(4), penalty under the section was still not leviable since
the Officer had not asked a question requiring the assessee to specify the
manner in which such income was earned. Appeal of revenue is dismissed .
[PCIT
v. Phoenix Mills Ltd. (2019) 307 CTR 700 : 175 DTR 433 (Bom)]
Search initiated on or after 1st June, 2007 –Manner in which
undisclosed income earned was not satisfied -Deletion of penalty was held to be
not valid
Allowing the appeal of the revenue
the Court held that ; the appellate authorities misdirected themselves in
holding that the conditions under Section 271AAA(2) were satisfied by the assessee.
The second condition for availing of the immunity from penalty was that the
assessee should have specified in the statement under Section 132(4) the manner
in which such income stood derived. The assessee had merely stated that the
sums advanced were undisclosed income. However, she had not specified how she
had derived that income and under what head it fell (rent, capital gains,
professional or business income out of money lending, source of money, etc.).
Unless such facts were mentioned with some specificity, it could not be said
that the assessee had fulfilled the requirement that she had in her statement
under Section 132(4), “substantiated the manner in which the undisclosed income
was derived”. The order of the appellate authorities deleting the penalty was
erroneous. (Related Assessment Year : 2009 -10)
[CIT v. Ritu Singal (Smt) (2018) 403 ITR 97 : 303 CTR 738 : 164 DTR 153
(Del)]
Section 271AAA : Penalty – Search initiated on or
after 1st June, 2007 –When no specific query to substantiate the manner of
earning undisclosed income was put forward to the assessee by the authorised
officer levy of penalty was held to be not valid when the taxes were paid on
the amount surrendered
Dismissing the appeal of the revenue the Tribunal
held that , When no specific query to substantiate the manner of
earning undisclosed income was put forward to the assessee by the authorised
officer levy of penalty was held to be not valid when the taxes were paid on
the amount surrendered (Related Assessment year 2010-11
)
[ACIT
v. Beena Kedia (ITA No 4807/4808/Del/2015 dated 28.02.2018) (ITAT Delhi)]
Penalty under section 271AAB / 270A
PROVISIONS ILLUSTRATED
Assessment Year
|
Case - 1
|
Case -2
|
Date of search
|
24.06.2019
|
17.12.2019
|
2020-21
|
271AAB
|
271AAB
|
2019-20
|
271AAB
|
270A
|
2018-19
|
270A
|
270A
|
2017-18
|
270A
|
270A
|
2016-17
|
271(1)(c)
|
271(1)(c)
|
2015-16
|
271(1)(c)
|
271(1)(c)
|
2014-15
|
271(1)(c)
|
271(1)(c)
|
Time limit for passing the penalty order
[Section 275]
S. No.
|
Particulars
|
Time limit for imposing penalty
|
1.
|
Where the
order of the Assessing Officer is contended before the CIT(A) or ITAT
|
|
(a) Where order is passed by CIT(A) and
no appeal is made to ITAT
|
1 year from
the end of Financial Year in which the order of CIT(A) is received
|
|
(b) Where order is passed by the ITAT
|
6 months from
the end of the month in which order of the ITAT
|
|
2.
|
Where
revision application has been made under section 264
|
6 months from
the end of the month in which revision order under section 264 is passed
|
3.
|
No appeal/
revision application has been made/filed
|
(a) End of Financial Year in which the assessment
proceedings are completed; or
(b) 6 months from the end of the month in which
the penalty proceedings are initiated
Ø Whichever
is later
|
Penalty under section 271F for failure to furnish
return under section 153A
Facts in brief are that for all the assessment
years under consideration, notice under section 153A was
issued on 21.9.2007 calling for the assessee to file his return of income. The
assessee did not file his return of income under section 153A. As no return of
income was filed by the assessee, penalty proceedings under section 271F of the
Act for non-filing the return of income, were initiated and show cause notice
was issued to the assessee. The assessee did not file any reply. Therefore, the
Assessing Officer after examining the provisions of section 271F and 153A,
concluded that the provisions of section 139 are applicable in respect of
returns to be filed under section 153A. He, therefore, levied the penalty
of Rs.5,000/- for each of the assessment years.
Ld CIT (A) following the order
for the assessment year 2000-2001, confirmed the Assessing Officer’s action. Being
aggrieved, the assessee was in appeal before the Tribunal. It was held that
“From a bare reading of both sections, it is evident that the provisions of
section 271F are attracted when a person is required to furnish the return in
accordance with section 139(1) or by provisos of that section. Section 153A
starts with non-obstante clause and the purpose is only to specify separate
time limit for filing the return. The only distinction in section 153A is that
the Assessing Officer is required to issue notice to the assessee requiring
him to furnish the return within such period, as may be specified in notice,
but otherwise the provisions of the Act have been made applicable accordingly,
as if such return were a return required to be furnished under
section 139.
Therefore, all the consequences following for failure to file the return under
section 139
will follow under section 153A also. We, therefore, do not find any infirmity in
the order of ld CIT (A) to interfere and, accordingly, uphold the same.” (Related
Assessment Years : 2001 to 2001 to 2006- 2007)
[Kashinath Tapuriah v. DCIT - Date
of Judgement : 16.04.2010 (ITAT Mumbai)
Other Penalties
(1) Refusal to answer in contravention of legal obligation.
[Section 272A(1)(a)]
Text of Section 272A(1)(a)
272A. (1) If any person,—
(a) being legally bound to state the truth
of any matter touching the subject of his assessment, refuses to answer any
question put to him by an income-tax authority in the exercise of its powers
under this Act;
Quantum of penalty
Maximum : Rs. 10,000 for each such default
or failure
Maximum : Rs. 10,000 for each such default
or failure
Authority by
whom leviable [Section 272(3)(a)]
Income
tax authority not lower in rank than
a Joint Director or a Joint Commissioner, by
such income-tax authoritty
No order under
this section shall be passed by any income-tax authority referred to in
sub-section 272(3)(a) unless the person on whom the penalty is proposed to be
imposed is given an opportunity of being heard in the matter by such authority.
(2) Refusal to sign any statement made in the course of
income-tax proceedings. [Section 272A(1)(b)]
Text of Section 272A(1)(a)
272A. (1) If any person,—
(b) refuses to sign
any statement made by him in the course of any proceedings under this Act,
which an income-tax authority may legally require him to sign;
Quantum of penalty
Maximum : Rs. 10,000 for each such default
or failure
Maximum : Rs. 10,000 for each such default
or failure
Authority by
whom leviable [Section 272(3)(a)]
Income tax
authority not lower in rank than
a Joint Director or a Joint Commissioner, by
such income-tax authoritty
No order under this
section shall be passed by any income-tax authority referred to in sub-section
272(3)(a) unless the person on whom the penalty is proposed to be imposed is
given an opportunity of being heard in the matter by such authority.
(3)
Failure to attend or give evidence or produce books of accounts and documents
in compliance with the requirements of summons under section 131(1) [Section
272A(1)(c)]
Text of Section 272A(1)(c)
272A. (1) If any person,—
(c)
to whom a summons is issued under sub-section (1) of section 131 either to
attend to give evidence or produce books of account or other documents at a
certain place and time omits to attend or produce books of account or documents
at the place or time.
Quantum
of penalty
Maximum
: Rs. 10,000 for each such default or failure
Maximum
: Rs. 10,000 for each such default or failure
Authority by whom leviable [Section 272(3)(a)]
Income tax authority
not lower in rank than
a Joint Director or a Joint Commissioner, by
such income-tax authoritty
No
order under this section shall be passed by any income-tax authority referred
to in sub-section 272(3)(a) unless the person on whom the penalty is proposed
to be imposed is given an opportunity of being heard in the matter by such
authority.
Argument that penalty under section 272A(1)(c) can be levied
only for non-compliance of section 131(1) and not section 131(IA) is not
correct because section 131(1A) has to be read with section 131(1)
So far as the
arguments of the ld. counsel for the assessee that there was a reasonable cause
on the part of the assessee in not submitting the details as called for by the
ADIT (Investigation) is concerned, we find from the record that there was a
deliberate defiance on the part of the assessee for non- submission of the same
under the pretext that some of the details are available in the records of the
Income Tax Department or some of the details are available in the Website of
the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. On facts, the penalty
is justified because the conduct of the assessee is not bona fide. There is
deliberate and complete defiance to the summons issued under section 131(1A).
[Young Indian v. ADIT – Date of
pronouncement : 30.08.2018) (ITAT Delhi)]
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