Rakshit Estates Private ... vs Income Tax Officer, Gurgaon on 29 October, 2025
14. We shall now deal with the objection raised by the Ld. DR that as the
assessee had not called in question the jurisdiction of the Income-Tax Officer,
Ward-2(2), Bhilai within the stipulated time period of one month from the date
on which he was served with the notice(s) u/ss.143(2) and 142(1), dated
03.03.2015, therefore, it was not permissible for him to challenge the same for
the first time in the course of the proceeding before the tribunal. Having given a
13 ITA No. 3615/Del/2024
Rakshit Estates Pvt. Ltd. Vs. ITO
thoughtful consideration to the aforesaid claim of the ld. DR we are unable to
persuade ourselves to subscribe to the same. On a careful perusal of Section
124 of the Act, it transpires that the same deals with the issue of "territorial
jurisdiction" of an Assessing Officer. Ostensibly, sub-section (1) of Section 124
contemplates vesting with the A.O jurisdiction over a specified area by virtue of
any direction or order issued under sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of Section
120 of the Act. On the other hand sub-section (2) of Section 124 contemplates
the manner in which any controversy as regards the territorial jurisdiction of an
A.O is to be resolved. Apropos, subsection (3) of Section 124 of the Act, the same
places an embargo upon an assessee to call in question the jurisdiction of the
A.O where he had initially not raised such objection within a period of one
month from the date on which he was served with a notice under sub-section (1)
of Section 142 or sub-section (2) of Section 143. In sum and substance, the
obligation cast upon an assessee to call in question the jurisdiction of the A.O
as per the mandate of sub-section (3) of Section 124 is confined to a case where
the assessee objects to the assumption of territorial jurisdiction by the A.O, and
not otherwise.