Saturday 2 November 2019

Filing of appeals to Appellate Tribunal under the provisions of Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988


Section 46(1) of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 provides that any person aggrieved by the order of the Adjudicating Authority of holding the property as benami or not, can file an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal within 45 days from the date of the order passed by Adjudicating Authority. An appeal against the order of the Appellate Tribunal may be preferred in the High Court within 60 days.

Text of Section 46
APPEALS TO APPELLATE TRIBUNAL
46. (1) Any person, including the Initiating Officer, aggrieved by an order of the Adjudicating Authority may prefer an appeal in such form and along with such fees, as may be prescribed, to the Appellate Tribunal against the order passed by the Adjudicating Authority under sub-section (3) of section 26, within a period of forty-five days from the date of the order.
[1][(1A) Any person aggrieved by an order passed by the authority under section 54A may prefer an appeal in such form along with such fees, as may be prescribed, to the Appellate Tribunal against the said order within a period of forty-five days from the date of that order.]
(2) The Appellate Tribunal may entertain any appeal after the said period of forty-five days, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented, by sufficient cause, from filing the appeal in time.
(3) On receipt of an appeal under sub-section (1), [1][or sub-section (1A)] the Appellate Tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit.
(4) An Appellate Tribunal while deciding the appeal shall have the power—
(a)

to determine a case finally, where the evidence on record is sufficient;
(b)

to take additional evidence or to require any evidence to be taken by the Adjudicating Authority, where the Adjudicating Authority has refused to admit evidence, which ought to have been admitted;
(c)

to require any document to be produced or any witness to be examined for the purposes of proceeding before it;
(d)

to frame issues which appear to the Appellate Tribunal essential for adjudication of the case and refer them to the Adjudicating Authority for determination;
(e)

to pass final order and affirm, vary or reverse an order of adjudication passed by the Adjudicating Authority and pass such other order or orders as may be necessary to meet the ends of justice.
(5) The Appellate Tribunal, as far as possible, may hear and finally decide the appeal within a period of one year from the last date of the month in which the appeal is filed.
KEY NOTE
1.  Inserted by the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2019, with effect from 01.09.2019

Appeals to the Appellate Tribunal [Rule 10]
Text of Rule 10 of Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Rules, 2016
10. (1) An appeal to the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) of section 46 of the Act shall be filed in Form No. 3 annexed to these rules.
(2) At the time of filing, every appeal shall be accompanied by a fee of ten thousand rupees.
(3) The appeal shall set forth concisely and under distinct head the grounds of objection to the order appealed against and such grounds shall be numbered consecutively; and shall specify the address of service at which notice or other processes of the Appellate Tribunal may be served on the appellant and the date on which the order appealed against was served on the appellant.
(4) Where the appeal is preferred after the expiry of the period of forty-five days referred to in sub-section (1) of section 46, it shall be accompanied by a petition, in quadruplicate, duly verified and supported by the documents, if any, relied upon by the appellant, showing cause as to how the appellant had been prevented from preferring the appeal within the period of forty-five days.

Appeal before Appellate Tribunal - Jurisdiction
At present jurisdiction is with the Appellate Tribunal established under section 25 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) located at New Delhi.

Fee of filing of Appeal
At the time of filing, every appeal shall be accompanied by a fee of Rs. 10,000/-.

Hearing before Appellate Tribunal
v  Appeal to be filed within 45 days from date of order passed by Adjudicating Authority.
v  Appeal to be heard by division bench.
v  No time limit to pass order by the Tribunal.
v  CAs are authorized to appear before Appellate Tribunal under section 48.

An appeal to the Appellate Tribunal under section 46(1) of the Act shall be filed in Form No. 3 
(a)       At the time of filing, every appeal shall be accompanied by a fee of Rs.10,000.
(b)      The appeal shall set forth concisely and under distinct head the grounds of objection to the order appealed against and such grounds shall be numbered consecutively; and shall specify the address of service at which notice or other processes of the Appellate Tribunal may be served on the appellant and the date on which the order appealed against was served on the appellant.
(c)       Where the appeal is preferred after the expiry of the period of 45 days referred to in under section  46(1), it shall be accompanied by a petition, in quadruplicate, duly verified and supported by the documents, if any, relied upon by the appellant, showing cause as to how the appellant had been prevented from preferring the appeal within the period of 45 days.
Filing of belated appeals [Section 46(2)]
Section 46(2) provides that the Appellate Tribunal may entertain any appeal after the said period of 45 days, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented, by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.

Where appeal is preferred after the expiry of the period of 45 days refered to in section 46(1), it shall be accompanied by a petition, in quadruplicate, duly verified and supported by the documents, if any, relied upon by the appellant, showing cause as to how the appellant had been prevented from preferring the appeal within the period of 45 days.

Decision on appeal by Appellant Tribunal [Section 46(3)]
Section 46(3) provides that on receipt of an appeal, the Appellate Tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit.

An Appellate Tribunal while deciding the appeal shall have the power [Section - 46(4)]
(a)       to determine a case finally, where the evidence on record is sufficient;
(b)      to take additional evidence or to require any evidence to be taken by the Adjudicating Authority, where the Adjudicating Authority has refused to admit evidence, which ought to have been admitted;
(c)       to require any document to be produced or any witness to be examined for the purposes of proceeding before it;
(d)

to frame issues which appear to the Appellate Tribunal essential for adjudication of the case and refer them to the Adjudicating Authority for determination;
(e)

to pass final order and affirm, vary or reverse an order of adjudication passed by the Adjudicating Authority and pass such other order or orders as may be necessary to meet the ends of justice.

Appellate Tribunal has the power to pass final order [Section 46(4)(e)]
Appellate Tribunal has the power to pass final order and affirm, vary or reverse an order of adjudication passed by the Adjudicating Authority and pass such other order or orders as may be necessary to meet the ends of justice

As per Section 46(5)
(a)       to frame issues which appear to the Appellate Tribunal essential for adjudication of the case and refer them to the Adjudicating Authority for determination;
(b)      oto pass final order and affirm, vary or reverse an order of adjudication passed by the Adjudicating Authority and pass such other order or orders as may be necessary to meet the ends of justice.
(c)       The Appellate Tribunal as far as possible, may hear and finally decide the appeal within a period of one year from the last date of the month in which the appeal is filed.

Orders which are appealable before Appellate Tribunal
S. No.
Section of PBPT Act
Order
Authority passing the order
(i)
Section 26(3)
Order of adjudication (holding the property in question to be benami property or holding it not to be benami property) and confirming order of attachment
Adjudicating Authority
(ii)
Section 54A
Order imposing penalty
By authority who issued summons under section 19 or authority who called for information under section 21

Orders which are not appealable before Appellate Tribunal
S. No.
Section of PBPT Act
Order
Authority passing the order
(i)
Section 24(3)
Provisional attachment of property
Initiating Officer (IO)
(ii)
Section 24(4)
Order continuing provisional attachment of property
Initiating Officer (IO)
(iii)
Section 24(4)
Provisional attachment of property if not done so earlier
Initiating Officer (IO)
(iv)
Section 26(5)
Order provisionally attaching a property other than that referred by IO
Adjudicating Officer
(v)
Section 27(1)
Order confiscating a property adjudged to benami property under section 26(3)
Adjudicating Officer
(vi)
Section 29(2)
Order to person in possession of confiscated benami property to surrender deliver possession to administrator or his authorised person.
Administrator
(vii)
Section 47
Order amending order passed to rectify mistake apparent from record
Any authority

Adjudicating Authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Prevention of Money laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) shall discharge the functions of the Adjudicating Authority under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 1st November, 2018
S.O. 5608(E).—In exercise of powers conferred by section 71 of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988) (hereafter referred to as the said Act) and in suppression of notification number S.O. 3288(E) dated the 25th October, 2016, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such suppression, the Central Government hereby notifies that,─
(i) the Adjudicating Authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Prevention of Money laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) shall discharge the functions of the Adjudicating Authority under the said Act, for the period beginning on 1st day of November, 2016 and ending on the date preceding the date on which the Adjudicating Authority appointed under the said Act commences discharging the functions of the Adjudicating Authority under the said Act, in respect of cases in which references have been received by it;
(ii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in clause (i), the Adjudicating Authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) shall pass order under subsection (3) of section 26 of the said Act in respect of case in which the said order is required to be passed before the expiry of two months from the end of the month in which the Adjudicating Authority appointed under the said Act commences discharging the functions of the Adjudicating Authority under the said Act;
(iii) the Appellate Tribunal referred to in section 25 of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) shall discharge the functions of the Appellate Tribunal under the said Act, for the period beginning on 1st day of November, 2016 and ending on the date preceding the date on which the Appellate Tribunal established under the said Act commences discharging the functions of the Appellate Tribunal under the said Act, in respect of cases in which appeals have been filed before it.
This Notification shall come into effect from the date of its publication.
[Notification No.77/2018/F.No.370149/194/2017-TPL]
PRAVIN RAWAL, Director (Tax Policy & Legislation)

MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
ORDER
New Delhi, the 31st October, 2018
S.O. 5602(E).—WHEREAS, section 71 of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988) (hereinafter referred to as the Benami Act) states that the Central Government may, by notification, provide that until the Adjudicating Authorities are appointed and the Appellate Tribunal is established under the Benami Act, the Adjudicating Authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) (hereinafter referred to as the PML Act) and the Appellate Tribunal established under section 25 of the PML Act may discharge the functions of the Adjudicating Authority and Appellate Tribunal, respectively, under the Benami Act;
AND, whereas, the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred under section 71 of the Benami Act has appointed the Adjudicating Authority and established the Appellate Tribunal under the provisions of the PML Act vide notification number S.O. 3288 (E), dated 25th October, 2016 with effect from 1st day of November, 2016;
AND, whereas, on appointment of the Adjudicating Authority and establishment of the Appellate Tribunal under the Benami Act, the Adjudicating Authority and the Appellate Tribunal notified under section 71 of the Benami Act shall cease to discharge the functions under the Benami Act, and whereas, there shall be a time gap between the appointment of the Adjudicating Authority and establishment of the Appellate Tribunal under the Benami Act and discharging the functions of the said Authority and the said Appellate Tribunal under the Benami Act;
AND, whereas, a difficulty has arisen in respect of the reference and appeal filed under the Benami Act which are pending before the Adjudicating Authority and the Appellate Tribunal respectively and in respect of receiving references from the Initiating Officer by the Adjudicating Authority and filing of appeal against the order of the Adjudicating Authority under the Benami Act, there is a need to remove the difficulty arising from the time gap between the appointment of the Adjudicating Authority and establishment of the Appellate Tribunal under the Benami Act and discharging the functions of the said Authority and the said Appellate Tribunal under the Benami Act;
AND, whereas, sub-section (7) of section 26 of the Benami Act provides that the Adjudicating Authority shall not pass order after the expiry of one year from the end of the month in which the reference has been received by it from the Initiating Officer and whereas, on the date on which the Adjudicating Authority under the Benami Act shall discharge the functions under the Benami Act, there may be references pending before the Adjudicating Authority notified under section 71 of Benami Act in which order under sub-section (3) of section 26 may be required to be passed in a short period of time;
AND, whereas, a difficulty has arisen in view of the fact that the Adjudicating Authority appointed under the Benami Act may not have sufficient time for passing an order in respect of said references and there is a need to remove the difficulty arising from the availability of limited time for passing such order under the Benami Act;
NOW, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 70 of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988) the Central Government hereby makes the following Order to remove the aforesaid difficulties, namely:-
1. Short title and commencement.—(1) This Order may be called the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2018.
(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In section 71 of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, after the words “under this Act” occurring at the end, the words “for such period and in respect of such cases or class of cases as may be specified in the said notification” shall be inserted.
[F. No. 370149/194/2017-TPL]
PRAVIN RAWAL, Director (Tax Policy & Legislation)

MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
(CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES)
NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 25th October, 2016.

S.O. 3288(E).—In exercise of powers conferred under section 71 of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988), the Central Government hereby notifies that, with effect from the 1st day of November, 2016, the Adjudicating Authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003) and the Appellate Tribunal established under section 25 of that Act shall discharge the functions of the Adjudicating Authority and Appellate Tribunal, respectively, under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988) until the Adjudicating Authorities are appointed and the Appellate Tribunal is established under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988).
[Notification No. 97/2016/F. No. 149/144/2015-TPL (Part-II)]
PRAVIN RAWAL,
Director (Tax Policy & Legislation)


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