IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL PANAJI BENCH, PANAJI BEFORE SHRI N.S. SAINI , HONBLE ACCOUNTANT MEMBER AND SHRI GEORGE MATHAN, HONBLE JUDICIAL MEMBER ITA NO. 3 28 /PNJ/201 5 (ASST. YEAR : 200 6 - 07 ) SHRI SHRIDHAR SHANTHINATH PATRAVALI, 1012/A, 9 TH CROSS, BHAGYANAGAR , BELAGAVI . VS. IT O , WARD - 2(1), BEL A GA VI . PAN NO. AIZPP 0322 K (APPELLANT) (RESPONDENT) ASSESSEE BY : ASHOK A. KULKARNI - ADV . DEPARTMENT BY : SHRI S.D. GULAWANI - D R DATE OF HEARING : 2 0 / 1 0/2015 . DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT : 2 0 / 1 0 /201 5 . O R D E R PER N.S. SAINI , ACCOUNTANT MEMBER THIS IS AN APPEAL FILED BY THE ASSESSEE AGAINST THE ORDER OF COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) , BEL A GA VI , DATED 0 1 /0 6 /201 5 . 2. THE SOLE ISSUE INVOLVED IN THIS APPEAL IS THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) ERRED IN CONFIRMING THE DISALLOWANCE MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER UNDER SEC. 40(A)(IA) OF THE ACT. 3 . AFTER GOING THROUGH THE ORDER OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) , WE FIND TH A T THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) DISMISSED THE APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE ON THE GROUND TH A T THE ASSESSEE FAILED TO PUT IN APPEARANCE ON THE DATE S OF HEARING FIXED ON 14/02/2014, 26/03/2014, 30/04/2014, 23/02/201 5 , 18/03/2015 AND 24/04/2015 . WE FIND THAT THE HONBLE BOMBAY HIGH COURT IN THE CASE 2 ITA NO. 328 /PNJ/201 5 OF BHARAT PETROLEUM CORPORATION LTD. VS. ITAT IN WRIT PETITION NO. 1740/2013 VIDE ORDER DATED 23/10/2013 HAS HELD THAT THE TRIBUNAL HAS NO POWER TO DISMISS THE APPEAL FOR NON - APPEARANCE OF APPELLANT . IT HAS TO DEAL WITH THE MERITS. 4 . RESPECTFULLY FOLLOWING THE SAME, WE SET ASIDE THE ORDER OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) AND RESTORE BACK THE MATTER TO HIS FILE DIRECTING HIM TO DISPOSE OF THE APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE ON MERITS AFTER ALLOWING REASONABLE AND PROPER OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING TO BOTH THE PARTIES. 5 . IN THE RESULT, APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE IS ALLOWED FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSE. ORDER PRONOUNCED IN THE COURT AT THE CLOSE OF THE HEARING ON TUESDAY , THE 2 0 TH DAY OF OCTOBER , 201 5 AT GOA . S D / - S D / - (GEORGE MATHAN) (N.S.SAINI) JUDICIAL MEMBER ACCOUNTANT MEMBER D ATED : 2 0 TH OCTOBER , 201 5 . VR/ - COPY TO: 1 . THE ASSESSEE. 2 . THE REVENUE. 3 . THE CIT 4 . THE CIT(A) 5 . THE D.R . 6 . GUARD FILE. BY ORDER ASSISTANT REGISTRAR I.T.A.T., PANAJI 3 ITA NO. 328 /PNJ/201 5 DATE INITIAL ORIGINAL DICTATION PAD IS ATTACHED WITH I.T.A.NO. 303/PNJ/2015 1. DRAFT DICTATED ON 2 0 . 1 0.2015 SR.PS 2. DRAFT PLACED BEFORE AUTHOR 2 0 . 1 0 .2015 SR.PS 3. DRAFT PROPOSED & PLACED BEFORE THE SECOND MEMBER 2 0 / 1 0 /2015 JM/AM 4. DRAFT DISCUSSED/APPROVED BY SECOND MEMBER 2 0 / 1 0/2015 JM/AM 5. APPROVED DRAFT COMES TO THE SR.PS/PS 2 0 / 1 0 /2015 SR.PS 6. DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT 2 0 / 1 0/2015 SR.PS 7. FILE SENT TO THE BENCH CLERK 2 0 / 1 0 /2015 SR.PS 8. DATE ON WHICH FILE GOES TO THE HEAD CLERK 9. DATE OF DISPATCH OF ORDER