, , IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, CUTTACK BENCH, CUTTACK ( ) BEFORE . . , , HONBLE SHRI K.K.GUPTA, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER. /AND . . . , S HRI K.S.S.PRASAD RAO , JUDICIAL MEMBER / I.T.A.NO. 33/CTK/2011 / ASSESSMENT YEAR 2010 - 11 JANASEVA,AT: O.T.ROAD (F.M.CIRCLE), BALASORE 756 001 PAN: AAATJ 4741 R - - - VERSUS - COMMISSIONER OF INCOME - TAX, CUTTACK. ( /APPELLANT ) ( / RESPONDENT ) / FOR THE APPELLANT : / SHRI NABNIT GHOSAL, AR / FOR THE RESPONDENT: / SHRI M.R.PANIGRAHI, DR / ORDER . . , , SHRI K.K.GUPTA, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER. THE ASSESSEE IS IN APPEAL AGAINST THE ORDER DT.30.11.2010 OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME - TAX REJECTING THE APPLICATION SEEKING GRANT OF APPROVAL U/S.80(G)(5)(VI) OF THE INCOME - TAX ACT,1961. 2. THE UNDISPUTED FACTS ARE THAT ON THE ALLEGATION THAT THE ASSES SEE INSTITUTION DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF THE LETTER THROUGH WHICH THE INSTITUTION WAS REQUIRED TO FURNISH DETAILS OF ACTIVITIES AND BOOKS OF ACCOUNT ALONG WITH SUPPORTING VOUCHERS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE EARNED CIT HAS REJECTED THE APPLICATIO N SEEKING APPROVAL U/S.80(G)(5)(VI) OF THE INCOME - TAX ACT,1961. 2. WE HAVE HEARD BOTH THE PARTIES AND PERUSED THE MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD. BEFORE US, THE LEARNED COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE CONTENDED BEFORE US THAT THE ASSESSEE - ORGANIZATION, DULY REGISTE RED UNDER SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT XXI OF 1860 SINCE THE ASSESSMENT YEAR 1992 - 93AND U/S.12AA OF THE INCOME - TAX ACT,1961 IN THE ASSESSMENT YEAR 1994, HAD APPLIED FOR THE GRANT OF APPROVAL U/S.80G(5)(VI) OF THE I.T.ACT,1961 BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOM E TAX IN THE PRESCRIBED FORM 10% UNDER RULE 11AA OF THE INCOME - TAX RULES,1962 ON 15.5.2010 ( WHICH ACCORDING TO THE LEARNED CIT WAS DT.17.5.2010). THE LEARNED CIT ISSUED A LETTER DT.23.11.2010 REQUIRING THE ASSESSEE TO FURNISH THE DOCUMENTS AS DETAILED THE REIN, FIXING DATE FOR I.T.A.NO. 33/CTK/2011 2 THE PURPOSE ON 26.11.2010, WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSEE ON 24.11.2010. VIDE AN APPLICATION DT. 24.11.010 SENT BY REGISTERED POST, THE ASSESSEE SOUGHT 10 DAYS TIME ON THE GROUND THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITH SHORT PERIOD OF ONE D AY NOTICE AND BESIDES THE CHAIRMAN (THE CHIEF FUNCTIONARY) WAS BUSY FOR FIELD WORKS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECTS . THE LEARNED COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE PRODUCED THE COPIES OF THE ABOVE IN A PAPER BOOK. THE LEARNED DR DID NOT DISPUTE THE ABOVE FACTS. WE FI ND THAT THE LEARNED CIT HAS PASSED THE ORDER ON DT.30.11.2010, WHEREIN THERE IS NO WHISPER ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF ASSESSEE DT.24.11.2010, MAY IT BE FOR THAT THE SAID APPLICATION WOULD NOT HAVE REACHED TO LEARNED CIT AS ON THE DATE HE PASSED THE IMPUGNED ORDER I.E., DT.30.11.2010. BE THAT AS IT MAY, SINCE THERE IS ONLY TWO DAYS TIME FOR MAKING COMPLIANCE TO THE LETTER ISSUED BY THE LEARNED CIT; THE TIME OF SIX MONTHS STIPULATED IN RULE 11AA(6) OF THE I.T.RULES,1962 WAS NOT GOING TO BE EXPIRED SPECIFICALLY IN VIEW OF THE PROVISO THERETO WHICH EXCLUDES THE TIME TAKEN BY THE APPLICANT WHILE RECKONING THE TIME LIMIT; AND THE ASSESSEE SOUGHT ADJOURNMENT ON THE GROUND MENTIONED THEREIN, THE PRINCIPLE OF NATURAL JUSTICE REQUIRES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ALLOWED TO T HE ASSESSEE FOR COMPLIANCE TO THE LETTER OF THE LEARNED CIT DT.23.11.2010. WE, THEREFORE, SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF THE LEARNED CIT AND RESTORE THE MATTER TO HIS FILE FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE APPLICATION SEEKING APPROVAL U/S.80G(5)(VI) AFRESH AFTER A LLOWING AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE ASSESSEE - INSTITUTION. THE ASSESSEE - INSTITUTION IS ALSO DIRECTED TO PRODUCE ALL THE REQUIRED DETAILS AND COOPERATE WITH LEARNED CIT IN DISPOSING OF ITS APPLICATION AT THE EARLIEST. 3. IN THE RESULT, THE APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE IS CONSIDERED AS ALLOWED FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES. THIS ORDER IS PRONOUNCED IN OPEN COURT ON DT. 28 TH APRIL, 2011 S D/ - S D/ - ( . . . ) , ( K.S.S.PRASAD RAO), JUDICIAL MEMBER ( . . ) , , (K.K.GUPTA), ACCOUNTANT MEMBER. ( ) DATE: 28 TH APRIL, 2011 ( ), ( H.K.PADHEE ), SENIOR.PRIVATE SECRETARY. I.T.A.NO. 33/CTK/2011 3 - COPY OF THE ORDER FORWARDED TO: 1 . / THE APPELLANT : JANASEVA,AT: O.T.ROAD (F.M.CIRCLE), BALASORE 756 001. 2 / THE RESPONDENT: COMMISSIONER OF INCOME - TAX, CUTTACK. 3 . / THE CIT, 4 . ( )/ THE CIT(A), 5 . / DR, CUTTACK BENCH 6 . G UARD FILE . / TRUE COPY, / BY ORDER, [ ] SENIOR PRIVATE SECRETARY