UPPALA NOOKAIAH CHETTY Vs. ADDITIONAL INCOME TAX OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THESE are three petitions made by Uppala Nookayya Chetty, Uppala Satyanarayanamurthy and Uppala Peda Venkataramayya respectively of the issue of a writ of certiorari to quash the orders of the Additional Income-tax Officer dated March 30, 1955, March 30, 1955, and March 31, 1955, whereby the individual assessments made on March 31, 1952, under section 23 (3) were revised in exercise of his pores under section 35 of the Income-tax Act.

(2.) THE Petitioners are admittedly partners in Messrs. Uppala Peda Venkataramanayya and Sons, Oil Mills, Anakapalli, and have each 1/4th share therein in the profits and losses. In response to the notice issued under section 22 (2) of the Income-tax Act the Petitioners submitted their individual returns on August 31, 1951, declaring their income and including therein a provisional sum representing their share of income from the aforesaid firm. As the firm's assessment was not completed by that time, each of the Petitioners expressed in writing that they have no objection to adopting correct share income after the firm's assessment is completed and revising the order under section 35. THE Income-tax Officer on the basis of this statement, without waiting for the completion of the assessment of the firm, made their individual assessment. Subsequently when the firm's assessment was completed it was found that the provisional figure representing the share of the partners in the return submitted by them was not correct. He therefore revised the assessment of income and assessed them to additional tax and sent the impugned notices to the Petitioners in the year 1955 before the completion of the four years period from the date of the original assessment. THE Petitioners have come to this court challenging the legality of the order and the competence of the authority to make the same under section 35 of the Income-tax Act. THE respondent resisted the contention on the ground that since the Petitioners had given the respondent to understand that the correct share of the income may be ascertained and the revision made on completion of the firm's assessment, and the respondent acted on their word, it is no longer open to the petitioners to go behind their promise and further that the assessment being of a provisional nature could be varied on the completion of the firm's final assessment. THE other contentions advanced are that the Income-tax Officer had jurisdiction to rectify the mistake both under section 35 (5) and also under section 35 (1) as the mistake was a mistake on the face of the record itself. THE questions for consideration in these petitions are : (i) whether the original assessment is of a provisional nature and what is the effect of the Petitioners agreement in writing; (ii) do the provisions of section 35 (5) apply to the assessments made on March 31, 1951, and March 31, 1952; and (iii) whether the impugned order has been validly made under section 35 (1) of the Act.If section 35 (5) applied to the case, there will be an end of the matter and the petitions would fail. So then, the first question for consideration is, whether section 35 (5) applies to the present case. As observed in Lakshminarayana Chetty v. Additional Income-tax Officer there is nothing in section 35 (5) which would render the amendment more retrospective than its language and it cannot therefore cover the assessments made prior to April 1, 1952. THE original assessment having been made prior to that date, the case cannot be said to be covered by the provisions of section 35 (5).

(3.) THERE is yet another point on the basis of which this court should refuse to extend any help in exercise of the extraordinary prerogative powers. It is evident that there is no statutory limit of time in which the assessment of the Petitioners under the provisions of sections 23 and 29 should have been completed. After the returns are filed the Income-tax Officer could have, but for the promise of the assessees, waited till the completion of the firm's assessment. The assessees made the Income-tax Officer act on his word that his share of profit and loss in the firm as shown in the return way be treated as provisionally correct and may be rectified after the completion of the firm's assessment. The returns and the assessment orders bear clear reference to this. Thus when the assessee had made the Income-tax Officer act in full faith in their word and had thus derived a benefit thereunder, can they now turn round and dispute the competence of the Income-tax authority or be allowed to go back on their word to the detriment of the other party. No doubt, as already stated, the party has after a final assessment a vested right not to be assessed to an enhanced tax save in cases falling under sections 34 and 35. But this right is for their personal benefit. They could waive the same without any offence to the public policy. As a matter of fact, knowing full well that they had such right, they waived the same by their agreement and made the Income-tax authority act on their word. They have thus relinquished their right. At any rate, their conduct would not entitle them to the benefit of the discretionary relief under article 226 of the Constitution. These petitions, both on facts and law, do not merit any consideration. They are therefore dismissed. No order as to costs.Petitions dismissed.