ITAT Hauls Up CIT(A) For Defiance Of Its Order And Threatens Contempt Proceedings

DCIT vs. Sham Sunder Sharma (ITAT Chandigarh)

S. 250: Orders of the ITAT are binding on the lower authorities and should be followed unreservedly. Blatant failure to do so could attract contempt of court proceedings

It is a clear case of showing disrespect to the order of the Tribunal. Therefore, contempt proceedings could have been initiated against the CIT (A) for blatantly disobeying the order of the Tribunal. The Madhya Pradesh High Court in Agrawal Warehousing & Leasing Ltd. vs. CIT 257 ITR 235 held that the CIT (A) cannot refuse to follow the order of the Appellate Tribunal. The CIT (A) is a quasi – judicial authority and is subordinate in judicial hierarchy to the Tribunal. The orders passed by the Tribunal are binding on all the revenue authorities functioning under the jurisdiction of the Tribunal. The principles of judicial discipline require that the orders of the higher appellate authorities should be followed unreservedly by the subordinate authorities

 

Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd vs. ITO (TDS) (ITAT Delhi)

S. 253: Appeal in the ITAT can be filed against order of the CIT(A) on a stay application. Stay should be granted if relevant criteria of existence of prima facie arguable case, irreparable loss and financial position are not considered by the CIT(A)

Considering the fact that the issue on merits is yet to be decided by the CIT(A) and being of the view that the findings arrived at in para 5 have not taken into consideration the relevant criteria for deciding the issue namely the existence of prima facie arguable case in favour of assessee or not; irreparable loss if any and the financial position of the assessee etc. as no reference to these settled legal parameters is found mentioned in the order. It also seen that the merits of the order of the Assessing Officer till date have not been tested by any Appellate Authority. Thus, in these peculiar facts and circumstances, we direct the Revenue authorities from refraining to take any co-ercive action against the assessee till the passing of the order of the CIT(A) on merits

 

SPS Steel & Power Ltd vs. ACIT (ITAT Kolkata)

S. 271AAA: Law on what is “undisclosed income” and levy of penalty on the basis of a “dumb” document and surrender by the assessee explained

A charge can be levied on the basis of document only when the document is a speaking one. The document should speak either out of itself or in the company of other material found on investigation and/or in the search. The document should be clear and unambiguous in respect of all the four components of the charge of tax. If it is not so, the document is only a dumb document. No charge can be levied on the basis of a dumb document. A document found during the course of a search must be a speaking one and without any second interpretation, must reflect all the details about the transaction of the assessee in the relevant assessment year