Commissioner of Income-Tax v. Sardar Lakhmir Singh

S. K. Diu, J., J. L. Kapur, J., and A. K. Sarkar, J., delivered separate judgmenl3. The Judgment of M. Hidayatullah and Raghubar Dayal, JJ., was delivered by Hidayatullah, J.

Du, /. S. K. DAS, J.-The facts out of which these

two appeals have ari~en have been stated in the judgment of my learned brother Kapur, J., and as I am in full agreement with the conclusion reached by him, I need not re-state the facts.

The relevant assessment years were 1946-194 7 and 1947-194!l. The assessment orders were made on Novemb<'r 27, 1953. It is obvious that the assess-ments were not made within the time prescribed by sub·s. (3) of s. 34, the period being four years in this case. The Tribunal relied on the second proviso to sub-s. (3) of s. 34 as amended by the Amending Act of 1953 which came into force on April l, 1952. For reasons which I have given in S. C. Prushar, l71C011Ul· t,ax Officer v. Vasantsen Dwarkadas ('), in which judg-ment has been delivered to-day, the second proviso to

(I) (19$4] Vol. I s.c.R. 29 .

sub-s. (3) of s. 34 does not revive a remedy which 1962 became barred before April l, 1952, when the Commissionlf '.f amended proviso came into force. lncom1-ta ...

Next, the appellant relied on s. 31 of the Sordar Lakhmir Sinth Amending Act of 1953. I agree with my learned.

brother Kapur, J., that the question of law which Da, /. was referred to the High Court does not take in the point now sought to be urged before us. Secondly, for reasons given by me in S. 0. Prashar, Income-lax Officer v. Vasantsen Dwarkadas {') I do not think that s. 31 saves the assessment.

I would accordingly dismiss the appeals with costs; one hearing fee.

KAPUR, J.-These are two appeals pursuant to Eapw, J. a certificate granted by the High Court of Patna against the judgment and order of that Court in which the following question referred by the Income· tax Appellate Tribunal was answered in the negative and against the appellant :

"Whether having regard to the return dated March 7, 1951, by Sardar Lakhmir Singh in his individual capacity and to the provisions of section 34 (3), the assessment made on him on November 27, 1953, is validly made ?"

The relevant years of assessment are 1946-4 7 and 1947-48 and the two appeals relate to these years respectively. The respondent is a son of S. Nechal Singh. Up to the assessment year 1943-44 the father and son were being assessed as a Hindu undivided family. For the assessment year 1944-45 a claim was made under s. 25A of the Income-tax Act, here-inafter referred to as the 'Act' and it was contended that the income of S. Nechal Singh and S. Lakhmir Singh should be separately assessed as their individual incomes. This claim was not accepted and the income was assessed as that of a Hindu undivided

1962 family with S. Nechal Singh ~ the Karta. For the

assessment year l\J45-·lli, S. Nechal Singh and Commissfr,111r •. •} S. Lakhmir Singh filed two separate returns and made

/ruom1-tu

a claim under s. 25A which was rejected and the Sartlor Wltmir father and son were assessed as Hindu undivided

Singh

family but there was a protective assessment upon Kap11r, J. S. Lakhmir Singh as an individual. An appeal was

taken to the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal which held that the income of S. Nechal Singh and S. Lakhmir Singh was not the income of a Hindu undivided family but their individual incomes. The Appellate Tribnnal set aside the asscssmFnt of the Hindu umlividLd family. In it~ order datr·d Octo-ber 15, l!l:i:!, the App<'llatc Tribunal said:

"rl1c assessment, is therefore, set aside and the Income-tax Ofliccr is dircckd to make a fresh assessment :1ccordin,g to law as from the return stage uprin the correct persons on the sources of incolll<' belonging to them as found above". For the assr<'tnent year I \J-Hi-4 'i, three returns were filed ( l) by r•:o;pondcnt S. Lakhmir Singh on March 15, l ~J;j I, in regard to his separate income, (~) by S. Nechal Singh also in his individual capacity and the third under protest by S. Nechal Singh as the Karta of the Hindu undivided family. The latter return was dated June 20, l!J50, and the total income in the return was declared as nil. On March 15, 1951, the Income-tax Officer assessed the total income of S. Nechal Singh and S. Lakhmir Singh as the income of the Hindu undivided family. On March 20, 1053, an appeal was taken against the assessment for the year 1946·4 7 and the Appellate Assistant Commissioner set aside the two orders of the Income-tax Officer in view of the order of the Income· tax Appellate Tribunal dated October 15, 1952, above referred to. On ·November 27, 195:3, the Income-tax Officer made assessment upon respondent S. Lakhmir Singh in his individual capacity. An appeal was taken against that assessment order to 1962 the Appellate Assistant Commissioner and the con· Commissioner of tention raised was that the order of assessment was lncom1-tu barred under the provisions of the unamended s.34(3) v. Sardar Lakhmir of the Act. This contention was rejected and an Sin1h appeal taken to the Appellate Tribunal was dismissed lfqru, J. on September 6, 1955. The Tribunal held that under the amended proviso to s. 34(3) the Income-tax Officer was entitled to assess the income of the res· pondent even though he was not the appellant before the Appellate Assistant Commissioner and there is no limitatioa for such an assessment. At the instance of the respondent the question quoted above was stated to the High Court.

The High Court held that the Amending Act of 1953 does not apply to the facts of the present case and the order of assessment of the Income· tax Officer dated November 27, 1953, was barred under the provisions of the unamended s. 34(3) of the Act;

that was because on April l, 1952, when the Amend-ing Act of 1953 came into force the power of the Income-tax Officer to assess the tax for 1946-4 7 had already become barred and a right had accrued in favour of the respondent before April 1, 1952.

In regard to the assessment of 194 7 -48 also for the same reasons the assessment was held to be illegal.

Two appeals have been brought against those orders in regard to the two assessment orders ind the appeals have been consolidated.

The argument on behalf <'f the appellant is that the Income-tax Officer made the assessment on November 27, 1953, in pursuance of the prder of the Appellate Assistant Commissioner_ dated March 20, l!J53, and as at the time when the Income.

tax Officer completed the assessment the proviso to s. 34(3) had come into operation the Income-tax Officer could, in spite of the lapse of the period,

1962 reassess the respondent and the reassessment was

of therefore valid. The argument raised was really Cf7mmi.uion11 the same as that raised in S. C. Prashat-, Income-wx

lncom1-tax •• s.,dor Officer v. Vasantsen Dwarkadas (1), judgment in which

laklunir case has been delivered today.

s;.,A """"· J. In the present case the pr.riod applicable was

four years. In regard to the assessments for the years 1946·4 7 and 194 7-48 the period of four years ended before Ap,ril l, 1952. For reasons given in S.C. Prashar's () case the assessment will be barred and in our opinion the High Court rightly held it so. Another argument sought to be raised in support of the aSllessment order of the Income·tax Officer was based on s. 31 of the Amending Act 1953. It was submitted that under the first part of that section the assessment proceedings have been validated.

The relevant portion oC s. 31 is as follows :- "For the removal of doubts it is hereby dec-lared that the provisions of sub-sections (l ), (2) and (3) of section 34 of the principal Act (the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922) shall apply and shall be deemed always to have applied to any assessment or reassessment for any year ending before the 1st day of April 1948 in any case where proceedings in respect of such assessment or reassessment were commenced under the said sub-sections after the 8th day of September 1948."

It was argued that the assessments are for the year ending before April 1, 1948 and the assessments were commenced under sub-ss. l, 2 and 3 of s. 34 after September 8, 1948 and therefore sub-ss. I, 2 and 3 must be deemed to have applied to the two assess-ments. In the first place no such question was raised before the High Court. It had oµly to answer the 1962 question which was n ferred to it as it was acting in (' ommissioner t( itq advisory jurisdic.tion; and it could not answer any lncom1-tax other question. But it was, submitted that the form v. Sartfar LokAmir of the question itself is such 'that it takes in the appli-Sinih cability of s. 31 of the Amending Act of 1953. As Kaftur, J. we have said above this question was not referred to either in the High Court or in the Grounds of Appeal when the certificate was applied for nor in the appellant's Statement of Case. The form of the question also docs not take in the applicability of s. 31 of the Amending Act 1953. The question refers firstly to the return filed by the respondent S. Lakhmir Singh dated March 7, 1951, and then to the provi· sions of s. 34 (3). It has no reference to the validity of the proceedings because of the commencement of the proceedings after September 8, 1948. The commencement of the proceedings in regard to asseu· ment year 1946-4 7 has not been shown to be after September 8, 1948. No doubt the return was filed on March 15, 1951, but there is nothing to show what the date of the commencement of the proceed-ings was. If the appellant wanted to rely on s. 31 it was his duty to place all the effectual materials before the Appellate Tribunal on the basis of which a properly framed question could be referred and then answered by the High Court. On the material as it stands no question of the application of s. 31 of the Amending Act of 1953 arises nor is there a find-ing that the commencement of the proceedings was on March 7, 1951, when according to the question referred the return was filed. In this view of the matter the applicability of s. 31 of the Amending Act of 1953 is not available to the appellant.

The extent of jurisdiction of the High Court under s. fl6 of the Act has been decided by this Court in The New Jehangir Vakil },fills Ltd. v. Commis-sioner of Income-tax. (') JHI · For reasons given above the appeals fail and C-U1-o/ are dismissed with costs. One hearing fee.

/""1f'ltf-laJt, •• S.w ulltmir SARKAR, J.-Thcse appeals concern the two a.1-

SU.,A scssment years, 1946-4 7 and 194 7-48. The question s.u,, J. is whether the assessment orders in respect of these

years which were both made on November 27, 1953, are valid under the second proviso tc sub-s. (3) of 1. 34 of the Income-tax Act, 1922 as that proviso stood after it was amended bys. 18 of the Income-tax (Amendment) Act, 1953.

The assessee is Lakhmir Singh, the respondent in these appeals. Up to the year 1943-44, the asscssee formed a Hindu undivided family with hil father Ncchal Singh and his brothor Dhanbir Singh. For the year 1944-45, a claim was made under s. 25A of the Act that the joint family had been di~rupted and the members of it should be assessed individually. This claim was rejected. For the next year 1945-46, the claim under s. 25A was repeated. This claim was again rejected and the assessment was made on the basis of a Hindu undivided family, but a protective assessment was made upon the assessee as an mdividual for the income which he had shown in the separate return filed by him. This time an appeal was filed against the rejection of the claim under s. 25A. While the aforesaid appeal was pending, the assessec and his father filed separate returns for the year 1946-4 7 and the father also filed a return as Karta of the Hindu undivided family in which the income was declared as nil on the ground that the Hindu undivided family did not exist since 1944-45. On March 15, 1951, the Income-tax Officer amalgamated the incomes of the aBSessee and his father; assessable in the year 1946-4 7, and assessed them on the total income as the income of a Hindu undivided family. He however did not make any protective assessment this time as he had done for the year 1945-46. The assessee's father as the Karta of the Hindu undivided family 1162 appealed from the order of March 15, 1951.

Commissio,.,,. lncom1.fu On October 15, 1952, the Income-tax y, &rdar lAlrlunir Appellate Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeal SfntA against assessment as a Hindu undivided family for SarhJr, J. the year 1945-46 and observed : "We, therefore, conclude that notwithstanding the erroneous descrip-tion given by the appellant to himself in his returns before 1943-44 as Hindu Undivided Family, in which status he was accordingly assessed in the past on the income from property and business etc., which belonged either to him or to him and his partner and elder son Lakhmir Singh, the assessment made for the year 1945-46, in the status of a Hindu Undivided Family cannot be sustained. The assess-ment is, therefore, set aside and the Income-Tax Officer is directed to make a frrsh assessment according to law as from the return stage upon the correct persons and the sources of income belonging to them as found above." In view of this order of the Tribunal, the assessee's appeal from the assess-ment order in respect of 1946-4 7 was also allowed by the Appellate Assistant Commissioner on March 20, 1953 and the assessment order of March 15, 1951 was set aside. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner's order said, "Heard the appellant. It having been decided that the assess- / ment on the status of a H. U. F. is not sustainable the assessment is SET ASIDE for a re-assessment of sources involved on the correct persons and in the correct status according to Law." ·

The position with regard to the year 194 7-48 was substantially the same. The assessee and his father had been assessed on their total income as members of a Hindu undivided family by an order of the Income-tax Officer dated March 24, 1952.

The assessee's father as the Karta of the undivided family appealed from this order. The Appellate

158 S'fJPREME COURTREPORTS[l964] VOL.

Assistant Commissioner allowed this appeal on c-.n-•f March 21, 1953, and set aside the assessment order

Income-tax of March 24, 1952. He observed, "Heard Appellant.

y, For the same reason as in 1946-4 7 the assessment Sora Lalltmir

SU.,A is set aside for a re-assessment." It appears that for ~ ..... 1. the year 194 7-48 also the assessee and his father had

filed separate returns and the father filed also a return as a Hindu undivided family declaring the income in the last mentioned return as nil. In this year also there does not appear to have been any protective assessment against the assessee individually. Thereafter the Income-tax Officer proceeded to make the impugne9 orders of assessment of November 27, 1953, in respect of the years 1945-47 and 194 7 -48 on the returns which had been filed by the assessee in his individual capacity. The assessee appealed against the order of November 27, 1953, but the appeal was dismissed. Thereafter the assessee obtained an order from the Tribunal referring the following question in respect of the Tribunal's order dismissing his appeal against the assessment for the year 19tli-47.for the decision of the High Court at Patna.

"Whether having regard to the return dated 7th March, 1951; by Sardar Lakhmir Singh in his individual capacity and to the provisions of s. 34(3) the assessment made on him _on the 27th November, 1953 is validly made".

A similar question was referred to the High Court under another order of the Tribunal in respect of the year 1947-48. The High Court amwered the ques· tions against the revenue authorities who have, there· fore, come up in appeal against the decision of the High Court. That is why there are two appeals. The assessee contends that the order, of assess-ment were not within time prescribed ins. 34(3) of the Act. Under the substantive part of sub-1:(3) 1111 the orders of assessment should have been made within four years of the years 1946-47and1947-48, CommlssNiw •f ln1~1aJt that is, by March 31 of 1951 and 1952 respectively •• but were made on November 27, 1953. -It is, Sadar CMlrmir

t~ey Sinth theref~e, not in dispute that if they were not protec-

by the second proviso to sub-s. (3) of s. 34 as S•kM. J. t~d amended by the amending Act, 1953 earlier men· tioned, then the orders were not valid. The question is, were they so protected ? The second proviso is in these terms :

"Provided further that nothing contained in this 1ection limiting the time within which any action may be taken or any order, assessment or re-assessment may be made, shall apply to a re-assessment made under section 27 or to an assessment or re-assessment made on the asseliSee or any person in consequence of or to give effect to any finding or direction contained in an order· under section 31, section 33, sec-tion 33A, section 33B, section 66 or sec-tion 66A."

It is contended that under this proviso, the orden would be valid notwithstanding the provision in the substantive part of sub-s. (3). But it strikes mt that this proviso offends Art. 14 of the Constitution and is, therefore, itself invalid. If that is so, of course, no question of its protecting the asseS1ment orden made in this case arises.

Now, the proviso purports to make valid an assessment made beyond the period 'provided for it in the substantive part of sub-s. (3) where the assess-ment is made in consequence of an order under section 31 or certain other sections. Section 31 deals with an order .in appeal made by an Appellate Assistant Commissioner. Now, in this case the orders of the Appellate Assistant Commissioner were passed 1962 ur,<Jer s. 31 on March 20 and 21, 1953. These Comm iuionn of orders I have earlier set out. It was in consequence

lncom<-14'< ... of them that the disputed orders of assessment came Sordo• L..I;,,,,,;,, to be passed. We are not concerned with the other

Sin th sections mentioned in the proviso.

Now, the proviso in substance says that not· withstanding that an order of assessment is bad as having been made beyond the time prescribed in the substantive part of sub-s. (3) for making it, it would not be bad if "made on the assessee or any person in consequence of.. ....... an order under section 31." The proviso, therefore, puts in a class the assessee and other persons against whom an order of assess-ment is made in consequence of an order under s. 31. It discriminates against these persons inasmuch as an order of assessment against them can be made at any time but in the case of other evaders of tax, an order must be made within the time prescribed in the substantive part of sub-s. (3). The assessee in the proviso is the assessee in the appeal from or in other proceedings in whose assessment an order under s. 31 or the other sections mentioned in the proviso, is made. It may be said-though I do not pronounce finally on the question now that such an asses.~ee may be put in a separate class, for in his case, in his presence it has been found judicially that he has evaded tax. To that extent, he may be different from other evaders of tax and the differentia that distinguishes him may have a rational relation to the object of the Act, namely, prevention of evasion of tax and collection of tax that was due but had not been paid.

But the proviso puts in a class not only the assessee but other persons, namely, those against whom an order of assessment comes to be made in consequence of an order under s. 31 made in the assessment case of another person, that is, the assessee mentioned in the proviso. These persons obviously are persons against whom the Appellate Assistant IHI Commissioner making the order under s. 31 in an CflJfRlisrimwr .t appeal arising out of the assessment case of another lneom1-t• person, entertains a view that they have evaded y, Sordat L.A/rnoit payment of tax. Such another person was not a Sin,ta party to any proceeding under s. 31; he had no Satkar, /, opportunity to show to the Appellate Commissioner that the view that he had entertained about him was unwarranted.

The question then arises, whether such other person can be put in a class as contrasted with other evaders of tax? It is not suggested and cannot be suggested, that there are no other evaders of tax ex· cept those who have been found to be such in proceedings under s. 31 and tlie other sections men-tioned in the second proviso. I find no intelligible differ ~ntia between a person who has been found in a s. 31 proceeding to have evaded tax and other evaders of tax, which will have any rational relation to the object of the second proviso. It is true that there may have been some kind of evidence in the proceedings under s. 31 which may have satisfied the Appellate Commissioner that a person not before him had evaded tax. But then it is possible for the revenue authorities to be satisfied on equally good evidence otherwise than in the course of proceedings mentioned in the second proviso, that a person has evaded tax. I see no distinction between such a person and the person mentioned in the proviso. But such a person has the advantage of the bar of time against an assessment order concerning him as provided in the substantive part of sub·s. (3). This advantage is denied to the persons mentioned in the second proviso. It seems to me that the second proviso makes a hostile discrimination against persons mentioned in it and the classification made by it is without any intelligible differentia having a rational connection with the object of the statute. I think, therefore, that the second proviso to sub-s. (3) of

1962 s. 34, as amended by the amending Act of 1953, in c...,.;,,;.,,,, ef so far as it affects persons other than assessees is void

ltt"1m#-l4Jt as violating Art. 14 of the Constitution It cannot

v.

S.,tfa, J..khiir validate the assessment orders in this case. As I have

Sinth said before, it is not necessary in this case to say that S.,.lar, J. the proviso is bad as making a hostile discrimi · nation against the assessee mentioned in it and I do not do so. The respondent Lakhmir Singh was not the assessee in the s. 31 proceedings in consequence of which the assessment order against him was made. The assessee was his father as the Karta of a non· existent family. The proviso is invalid against the respondent Lakhmir Singh.

I would, therefore, dismiss the appeals.

For the Judgment of Hidayatullah and Raghubar Dayal, JJ., see S.C. Prr,shar, lncome·la;c OjfiCP.r v. Vasantsen Dwarkadas, ante p. 29.

BY COURT : In accordance with the opinion of the majority, the appeals are dismissed with costs, one hearing fee.

Appeals dismissed.