Sanction for issue of notice.

1[151. Specified authority for the purposes of section 148 and section 148A shall be,—

(i) Principal Commissioner or Principal Director or Commissioner or Director, if three years or less than three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year;

 (ii) Principal Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General or 2[where there is no Principal Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General], Chief Commissioner or Director General, if more than three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year.”]

3[Provided that the period of three years for the purposes of clause (i) shall be computed after taking into account the period of limitation as excluded by the third or fourth or fifth provisos or extended by the sixth proviso to sub-section (1) of section149]

 Notes

1. Substituted by the Finance Act 2021 Dated 28.03.2021 w.e.f 01.04.2021.

For section 151-

151(1) No notice shall be issued under section 148 by an Assessing Officer, after the expiry of a period of four years from the end of the relevant assessment year, unless the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner is satisfied, on the reasons recorded by the Assessing Officer, that it is a fit case for the issue of such notice.

(2) In a case other than a case falling under sub-section (1), no notice shall be issued under section 148 by an Assessing Officer, who is below the rank of Joint Commissioner, unless the Joint Commissioner is satisfied, on the reasons recorded by such Assessing Officer, that it is a fit case for the issue of such notice.

(3) For the purposes of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2), the Principal Chief Commissioner or the Chief Commissioner or the Principal Commissioner or the Commissioner or the Joint Commissioner, as the case may be, being satisfied on the reasons recorded by the Assessing Officer about fitness of a case for the issue of notice under section 148, need not issue such notice himself."

The following section shall be substituted, namely:— 

“151. Specified authority for the purposes of section 148 and section 148A shall be,— 

(i) Principal Commissioner or Principal Director or Commissioner or Director, if three years or less than three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year;

(ii) Principal Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General or where there is no Principal Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General, Chief Commissioner or Director General, if more than three years have elapsed from the end of the relevant assessment year.”.

2. Omitted by the Finance Act, 2023 dated 01.02.2023 w.e.f 01.04.2023.

3. Inserted by the Finance Act, 2023 dated 01.02.2023 w.e.f 01.04.2023.