CIT, FARIDABAD V. GURBACHAN SINGH

ITA/686/2009

AI Insights

The case involves multiple appeals filed by the Commissioner of Income Tax against Shri Gurbachan Singh and the Market Committee, Pipli, concerning the timeliness of filing appeals under the Income-tax Act, 1961. The primary legal question was whether the delay in filing the appeals beyond the prescribed period of 120 days could be condoned by invoking Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana examined precedents, particularly the Supreme Court's decision in Commissioner of Customs & Central Excise v. Hongo India (P) Ltd., which held that specific laws like the Excise Act and the Income-tax Act are complete codes that exclude the application of the Limitation Act for condoning delays beyond the prescribed periods.

• Counselvise Citation: [2010] 140 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 690108 (HC-CHANDIGARH)
• Appeal Type: Others
• Pronouncement Date: 20-01-2010
• Assessment Year: misc
• Other Referred Cases: Commissioner of Customs & Central Excise v. Hongo India (P) Ltd.
• Laws Referred To: Income-tax Act, 1961, Limitation Act, 1963, Central Excise Act, 1944
• Result in Favour of: Others
• Court: HIGH COURT
• Assessee Lawyers: URVASHI DHUGGA; SUKANT GUPTA
• Keywords: Appeal; Condonation of delay; Income Tax; Limitation
• Section: 5; 260-A

Judgement Text

"IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. Date of Decision: January 20, 2010 ITA No. 686 of 2009 (O&M) Commissioner of Income Tax, Faridabad …Appellant Versus Shri Gurbachan Singh …Respondent ITA No. 687 of 2009 Commissioner of Income Tax, Faridabad …Appellant Versus Shri Gurbachan Singh …Respondent ITA No. 669 of 2009 Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnal …Appellant Versus Market Committee, Pipli (Kurukshetra) …Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M. KUMAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE JITENDRA CHAUHAN Present: Ms. Urvashi Dhugga, Advocate, for the appellant (in ITA Nos. 686 & 687 of 2009). Mr. Sukant Gupta, Advocate, for the appellant (in ITA No. 669 of 2009) 1. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 2. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? M.M. KUMAR, J. This order shall dispose of ITA Nos. 686, 687 and 669 of 2009, which have been filed under Section 260-A of the Income-tax Act, against ITA No. 686 of 2009 (O&M) the orders passed by the Income tax Appellate Tribunal, Delhi and Chandigarh Benches (for brevity, ‘the Tribunal’). The only question of law which arises for determination of this Court is as under: “Whether the delay in filing of the appeal beyond the period of 120 days prescribed by Section 260-A(2)(a) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, could be condoned by entertaining an application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963?” 2. In all the aforementioned appeals there is an application invoking the provisions of Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963 (for brevity, the Limitation Act’), seeking condonation of delay in filing the appeal. 3. The aforesaid question is no longer res integra as Hon’ble the Supreme Court in the case of Commissioner of Customs & Central Excise v. Hongo India (P) Ltd., (2009) 5 SCC 791, while interpreting the provisions of the Central Excise Act, 1944 (for brevity, ‘the Excise Act’) has laid down that it is a complete code by itself which alone is to govern the matters provided by that Act. It has further been held that in the presence of special law providing for limitation with regard to filing of appeal, the Court could examine the extent of exclusion of Limitation Act by such special law. On examination of the language used in Sections 35, 35-B, 35-EE, 35-G and 35-H of the Excise Act, it has been concluded in paras 32 and 33 that the provisions of Limitation Act were not to apply. The view expressed by Hon’ble the Supreme Court in the aforesaid paras reads thus:- “ 32. As pointed out earlier, the language used in Sections 35, 35B, 35EE, 35G and 35H makes the position clear that an a ppeal and reference to the High Court should be made within 180 days only from the date of communication of the decision or order. In other words, the language used in other provisions 2 ITA No. 686 of 2009 (O&M) makes the position clear that the legislature intended the appel- late authority to entertain the appeal by condoning the delay only up to 30 days after expiry of 60 days which is the preliminary limitation period for preferring an appeal. In the absence of any clause condoning the delay by showing sufficient cause after the prescribed period, there is complete exclusion of Section 5 of the Limitation Act. The High Court was, therefore, justified in hold- ing that there was no power to condone the delay after expiry of the prescribed period of 180 days. 33. Even otherwise, for filing an appeal to the Commis- sioner, and to the Appellate Tribunal as well as revision to the Central Government, the legislature has provided 60 days and 90 days respectively, on the other hand, for filing an appeal and ref- erence to the High Court larger period of 180 days has been pro- vided with to enable the Commissioner and the other party to avail the same. We are of the view that the legislature provided sufficient time, namely, 180 days for filing reference to the High Court which is more than the period prescribed for an appeal and revision.” 4. When we examine the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (for brevity, ‘the Act’), the position is no different than the one prevailing un- der the Excise Act. In that regard it would be profitable to refer to the un- numbered second proviso of Section 143(1), Section 249(3) and Section 260A(2)(a) of the Act, which reads thus: Second un-numbered proviso of Section 143(1) of the Act 3 ITA No. 686 of 2009 (O&M) “Provided further that no intimation under this sub-section shall be sent after the expiry of one year from the end of the financial year in which the return is made.” Section 249(3) “ The Commissioner (Appeals) may admit an appeal after the expiration of the said period if he is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not presenting it within that period.” Section 260A(2)(a) “Appeal to High Court. 260A(2) The Chief Commissioner or the Commis- sioner or an assessee aggrieved by any order passed by the Appellate Tribunal may file an appeal to the High Court and such appeal under this sub-section shall be- (a) filed within one hundred and twenty days from the date on which the order appealed against his re- ceived by the assessee or the Chief Commissioner or Commissioner;” 5. A perusal of above quoted provisions would show that wherever the legislature desires to provide for condonation of delay, a specific provi- sion has been made in the Act and, therefore, if no such provision has been made, then no application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act could be filed as the Act itself is a complete code like Excise Act, which has been con- sidered by their Lordships’ of Hon’ble the Supreme Court in Hongo India Private Limited (supra). The reasoning adopted by Hon’ble the Supreme Court in the case of Hongo India Private Limited (supra) is fully applica- 4 ITA No. 686 of 2009 (O&M) ble to the question raised in the present appeals. Therefore, we are of the view that the application(s) seeking condonation of delay filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act cannot be accepted. 6. For the reasons aforementioned, the application(s) filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act seeking condonation of delay in filing the ap- peals are dismissed. Consequently, the appeals also fail and are dismissed being time barred. A photocopy of this order be placed on the files of connected ap- peals. (M.M. KUMAR) JUDGE (JITENDRA CHAUHAN) January 20, 2010 JUDGE Pkapoor 5 "