2025 INSC 155 REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1977 OF 2025

(ARISING OUT OF SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 20519 OF 2024)

VINUBHAI MOHANLAL DOBARIA …APPELLANT

VERSUS

CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX & ANR. …RESPONDENTS

J U D G M E N T

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 1 of 59

J.B. PARDIWALA, J.:

For the convenience of exposition, this judgement is divided into the

following parts:

INDEX

A. FACTUAL MATRIX .................................................................................. 2

B. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE APPELLANT ....................... 13

C. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE RESPONDENTS .................. 15

D. ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION .......................................................... 19

E. ANALYSIS ................................................................................................. 20

i. Section 276CC of the Income Tax Act, 1961 ..................................... 20

ii. Provisions pertaining to compounding of offences ............................. 36

iii. Guidelines for Compounding of Offences under Direct Tax Laws,

2014 ...................................................................................................... 41

F. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 57

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 2 of 59

1. Leave granted.

2. This appeal arises from the judgment and order passed by the High

Court of Gujarat dated 21.03.2017 in Special Civil Application No.

5386 of 2017 (hereinafter referred to as “the impugned order”) by

which the High Court rejected the writ petition filed by the appellant

herein and thereby upheld the order of the Chief Commissioner of

Income Tax, Vadodara (“Respondent No. 1”) dated 14.02.2017

rejecting the application preferred by the appellant-assessee for

compounding of the offence under Section 276CC of the Income Tax

Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”).

A. FACTUAL MATRIX

3. The appellant is an individual earning income by way of salary and also

by way of share of profit of partnership firm engaged in the business of

chemicals. He filed his income tax returns for the AY 2011-12 and

2013-14 on 04.03.2013 and 29.11.2014 respectively declaring his

income to be Rs 49,79,700/- and Rs 31,87,420/- respectively. The due

dates for the filing of returns for AY 2011-12 and 2013-14 were

30.09.2011 and 31.10.2013 respectively and as such there was delay on

the part of the appellant in filing the return of income for the said

assessment years.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 3 of 59

4. On 27.10.2014, a show cause notice was issued to the appellant by the

Commissioner of Income Tax - III, Baroda alleging violation of Section

276CC of the Act for the AY 2011-12. The notice stated that although

the due date for filing the income tax return for the AY 2011-12 was

01.08.2011 yet the appellant had filed the same with delay on

04.03.2013. The notice further stated that after allowing for the credit

of prepaid taxes, the appellant was liable to pay self-assessment tax of

Rs. 0/- which however remained unpaid by the due date prescribed for

the filing of return of income. In the last, the appellant was called upon

to show cause as to why proceedings under Section 276CC of the Act

should not be initiated against him. The contents of the said notice are

extracted hereinbelow:

“Office of the Commissioner of Income Tax III

2nd floor, Aayakar Bhavan, Race Course Circle,

Baroda 390 007

No.BRD/CIT-III/HQ/Pros/17/2014-15

Date.27.10.2014

To,

Shri Vinubhai Mohanbhai Dobaria

B-2/203, Subhlaxmi Coop. Housing Society

Ankleshwar

PAN ACIPD4420D

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 4 of 59

Sir/Sirs,

Sub: Launching of prosecution under section 276CC of the

income Tax Act, 1961 Chapter XXII of the I.T.Act

1961 regd.

On examination of records, it is seen that you have

furnished your return of income for the assessment year

2011-12 declaring total income of Rs.49,79,700/- on

4.3.2013. Further, after allowing credit of prepaid taxes,

you were liable to pay self assessment tax of Rs.0/- by due

date of filing of return. Later, your return of income was

processed under section 143(1) of the Act 20.3.2013

determining demand of Rs0/- out of which Rs.0 is still

pending.

2. In this context, take notice and show cause as to why

proceedings under section 276CC of the Act should not be

initiated against you for failure to furnish returns of

income after the expiry of the assessment year. You may

attend either personally or through representative duly

authorized on 11.11.2014 at 12.30 p.m. If you fail to

attend, it would be presumed you have nothing to say in

the matter and this office shall proceed in the matter

accordingly.

Yours faithfully

Sd/- S.R. Malik

Commissioner of Income Tax- III, Baroda”

5. The appellant replied to the aforesaid show cause notice along with the

application for compounding in accordance with the Guidelines for

Compounding of Offence, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as “the 2008

guidelines”). The application, along with application for compounding

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 5 of 59

the delay in filing of return of income for two other years came to be

allowed by the Respondent No. 1 vide order dated 11.11.2014.

6. Thereafter, on 12.03.2015, the appellant received another show cause

notice as regards launching of prosecution under Section 276CC of the

Act for the AY 2013-2014 issued by the Commissioner of Income Tax,

Vadodara - III. The notice stated that the appellant had furnished the

return of income for AY 2013-14 declaring a total income of Rs.

31,87,420/- on 29.11.2014 and after allowing for the credit of prepaid

taxes the appellant was liable to pay self-assessment tax of Rs.

2,78,740/-. The notice further called upon the appellant to show cause

as to why proceedings under Section 276CC of the Act should not be

initiated against him as he had filed his return of income after the expiry

of the due date. The contents of the said notice are extracted

hereinbelow:

“Office of the Commissioner of Income Tax,

Vadodara -3 Vadodara

2nd floor Aayakar Bhavan Race Course Circle,

Vadodara 7

No. BRD/CIT-3/HQ/Pros/17-B/2014-15

Date.12.3.2015

To,

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 6 of 59

Shri Vinubhai Mohanbhai Dobaria

303/C/16, Tulsi Kunj Society,

Near Marathi School, GIDC,

Ankleshwar

PAN ACIPD4420D

Sir/Sirs

Sub: Launching of prosecution under section 276CC of

the Income Tax Act, 1961 Chapter XXII of the I.T.Act,

1961 A.Y.2013-14 reg.

On examination of records, it is seen that you have

furnished your return of income for the assessment year

2013-14 declaring total income of Rs.31,87,420/- on

29.11.2014. Further, after allowing credit of prepaid

taxes, you were liable to ay self assessment tax of

Rs.2,78,740/- by due date of filing of return. Later, your

return of income was processed under section 143(1) of

the Act on 5.1.2015.

2. In this context, take notice and show cause as to why

proceedings under section 276CC of the Act should not be

initiated against you for failure to furnish returns of

income before expiry of the assessment year. You may

attend either personally or through representative duly

authorized on 19.3.2015 at 11.30 a.m. If you fail to attend,

it would be presumed that you have nothing to say in the

matter and this office shall proceed in the matter

accordingly.

Yours faithfully

Dr. Banwari Lal

Commissioner of Income Tax

Vadodara -3 Vadodara”

7. The appellant replied to the aforesaid notice along with an application

for compounding as per the Guidelines for Compounding of Offence,

2014 (hereinafter referred to as “the 2014 guidelines”). In his reply, the

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 7 of 59

appellant stated that he had filed the return of income belatedly because

necessary funds were not available with him to enable him to pay the

assessed amount of tax. He further stated that the delay in filing of the

return of income was neither deliberate nor wilful.

8. By an order dated 14.02.2017 passed under Section 279(2) of the Act,

the Respondent No. 1 rejected the compounding application of the

appellant. The Respondent No. 1 took the view that the case of the

appellant was not fit for compounding as a committee comprising of

Principal CCIT Gujarat, CCIT Vadodara, DGIT (Investigation)

Ahmedabad and the CCIT - II Ahmedabad in the minutes recorded of

the meeting dated 25.01.2017 had opined that the assessee had filed his

return of income for AY 2013-14 after the show cause notice for the

offence under Section 276CC for offence during AY 2011-12 had

already been issued. Therefore, as per the committee, the offence

committed by the appellant under Section 276CC for the AY 2013-14

would not be covered by the expression “first offence” as defined in the

2014 guidelines. The relevant part of the said order is extracted

hereinbelow:

“The case is not found to be fit case for compounding as

the Committee comprising of Pr. CCIT Gujarat and CCIT,

Vadodara DGIT (Investigation) Ahmedabad and the CCIT

2 Ahmedabad, competent to consider the assessee's

petition, in its minutes of the meeting held at Ahmedabad

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 8 of 59

on 25.1.2017 found that the Pr. CIT-3, Vadodara had

issued show cause notice for initiating proceedings under

section 276CC of the Act on 27.10.2014 for the AY.2011-

12. The assessee filed his return of income for the

A.Y.2013-14 on 29.11.2014 as against the due date for

filing of return on 31.10.2013, after issuance of such show

cause notice for A.Y. 2011-12. Accordingly, taking into

consideration the definition of "First Offence" as specified

in the Board's guidelines for compounding offence dated

23.11.2014, as well as the opinion obtained from the

Board vide F.No.285/20/2014-IT (Inv.)/340 dated

15.9.2014 in the case of Chandra Knee Clinic P. Ltd. the

committee unanimously opined that, the offence of similar

nature committed by the assessee for A.Y.2013-14 cannot

be compounded, as it does not fall within the definition of

"First Offence". Thus, the committee rejected

compounding petition for A.Y.2013-14.

In view of the above facts, compounding petition filed by

the assessee for A.Y.2013-14 is rejected.”

9. The appellant challenged the aforesaid order passed by the Respondent

No. 1 before the High Court of Gujarat by way of Special Civil

Application No. 5386 of 2017. The appellant, who was the petitioner

before the High Court, contended that his compounding application had

been rejected by Respondent No. 1 solely on the ground that the offence

alleged to have been committed by the appellant of belated filing of the

return of income for AY 2013-14 was not covered by the expression

“first offence” as defined in the 2014 guidelines. The appellant further

submitted that the show cause notice for the initiation of prosecution

issued under Section 276CC of the Act for AY 2013–14 was issued on

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 9 of 59

12.02.2015 whereas he had already filed the return of income for the

said assessment year on 29.11.2014, that is, much before the issuance

of show cause notice on 12.02.2015 and therefore it could not be said

that it was not the first offence. It was also contended by the appellant

that the respondent had erroneously computed the date of issuance of

show cause notice for AY 2011-12 for the purpose of holding that the

appellant had committed the offence post that date. Lastly, it was argued

by the appellant that the 2014 guidelines are only general guidelines and

are not in the nature of strict law and thus are to be construed

accordingly. The appellant submitted that the general nature of the

guidelines was also suggested by the heading “offences generally not to

be compounded” used in the said Guidelines.

10. However, the High Court rejected the Special Civil Application of the

appellant vide the impugned judgment and order dated 21.03.2017

taking the view that the contention of the appellant was based on a

misreading of the Clause 8(ii) of the 2014 guidelines. The High Court

held that although the show-cause notice for AY 2011-12 was issued on

27.10.2014, yet the appellant filed the return of income for the AY

2013-14 on 29.11.2014 and thus could be said to have committed the

offence under Section 276CC of the Act for the AY 2013-14 after the

show cause notice for the AY 2011-12 had already been issued. It was

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 10 of 59

further observed by the High Court that the circumstances surrounding

the delay in the filing of return of income by the appellant were not

required to be considered in detail by the compounding authority and

the same would be considered during the course of the trial. The relevant

observations made by the High Court are extracted hereinbelow:

“4.0 [...] However, on the other hand, it is the case on

behalf of the petitioner assesee that for AY 2013-14 the

show cause notice under Section 276 CC of the Act was

issued on 12.03.2015 and prior thereto the return of

income for AY 2013-14 was already filed on 29.11.2014

and therefore, the same can be said to be "first offence"

even as per the clause 8(ii) of the Guidelines. The

submission on behalf of the assessee cannot be accepted.

The aforesaid submission on behalf of the assessee is

absolutely on misreading of clause 8(ii). On true

interpretation of clause 8(ii), in case the offence is

committed prior to date of issuance of any show cause

notice for prosecution, in that case, it can be said to be the

"first offence". Therefore, in case for any prior assessment

year, the show cầuse notice has been issued for

prosecution and despite the same, in the subsequent year,

the offence is committed by not filing the return, the same

cannot be said to be "first offence". The submission on

behalf of the petitioner assessee that in the present case

the show cause notice for prosecution for AY 2013-14 was

issued on 12.03.2015 and prior thereto the return of

income was filed for AY 2013-14 on 29.11.2014 and

therefore, the same can to be said to be first offence,

cannot be accepted. What is required to be considered is

whether for any prior year any show cause notice for

prosecution is issued and served upon the petitioner or

not. If the contention on behalf of the petitioner is

accepted, in that case, it will be contrary to the clause 8(ii)

of the Guidelines. In the present case, for AY 2011-12, the

show cause notice was already issued under Section 276

CC of the Act on 27.10.2014 for non filing of return before

due

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 11 of 59

date (for AY 2011-12) and despite the same for the

subsequent years i.e. for AY 2013-14 the assessee did not

file return of income before due date of filing of return.

Therefore, again the petitioner -assessee committed the

offence for AY 2013-14. Thus, it cannot be said that in AY

2013-14 it can be said to be the "first offence" committed

by the assessee. Under the circumstances, the respondent

no.1 has rightly rejected the compounding application

submitted by the petitioner. Rejection of the compounding

application submitted by the petitioner is absolutely in

consonance with the Guidelines, 2014.

5.0. Now, so far as submission on behalf of the petitioner

that while rejecting the compounding application

submitted by the petitioner, respondent no.1 has not

properly appreciated and / or considered the reason for

not filing the return of income by petitioner before due

date is concerned, at the outset, it is required to be noted

that it has nothing to do with the compounding

application. It is required to be noted that while

considering the application for compounding, merits is not

required to be considered as is to be considered in trial.

6.0. Now, so far as reliance placed upon the decision of

the Madras High Court in the case of K. Inba Sagaran

(supra) relied upon by the learned advocate for the

petitioner-assessee is concerned, the said decision shall

not be applicable to the facts of the case on hand, more

particularly, while considering the compounding

application. In the case before the Madras High Court,

three different complaints for the offence under Section

276CC of the Act for AY 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94

though were filed and numbered separately, were clubbed

together in one case and the learned Magistrate passed

the orders holding the accused guilty under Section

276CC on three counts. The question arose whether the

offence for which accused was charged were distinct or

separate and not in any way inter-related and when each

offence had no connection with other, joinder of charges

would become bad in law or not and to that it has been

observed and held by the Madras High Court that framing

of charge was defective and violative of Sections 218 and

219 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and as judgment

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 12 of 59

was rendered only in one case and there was no finding of

guilt recorded as regards two other cases, the Madras

High Court has observed that error committed by the trial

Court was of such grave nature that it had caused

prejudice to accused and therefore, in that view of the

matter, conviction and sentence passed by the lower Court

has to be set aside. Therefore, the said decision shall not

be applicable to the facts of the case on hand.

7.0. Now, so far as reliance placed upon the decision of

the Delhi High Court in the case of Sport Infratech (P) Ltd

(supra) relied upon by the learned advocate for the

petitioner is concerned, the said decision also shall not be

applicable to the facts of the case on hand.

8.0. Even the learned advocate for the petitioner has

requested not to observe anything on merits and therefore,

we refrain from observing anything on merits, more

particularly, the reasons given by the petitioner assessee

for not filing return of income before due date, even for AY

2013-14.

9.0. In view of the above and for the reasons stated above,

the impugned order passed by the respondent no.1

rejecting the compounding application submitted by the

petitioner cannot be said to be either illegal or contrary to

the Guidelines, we see no reason to interfere with the

same. In view of the above and for the reasons stated

above, present petition fails and same deserve to be

dismissed and is accordingly dismissed.”

11. In such circumstances referred to above, the appellant is here before this

Court with the present appeal.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 13 of 59

B. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE APPELLANT

12. Mr. Tushar Hemani, the learned Senior Counsel appearing for the

appellant, submitted that an offence as contemplated under Section

276CC of the Act is committed upon the failure of the assessee in

furnishing the return of income within the due date as contemplated

under Section 139(1) of the Act. He submitted that whether the assessee

had filed a belated return of income, that is, after the expiry of the due

date or not, is immaterial and the point in time when the offence under

Section 276CC is committed is the date immediately following the due

date for furnishing the return of income as prescribed under Section

139(1) of the Act. Thus, for the AY 2013-14, the appellant could be said

to have committed the offence on the date immediately following the

due date for filing of returns for the AY 2013-14. Hence the date for

commission of the offence under Section 276CC for the AY 2013-14

would be 01.11.2013 as the due date for filing the returns for AY 2013-

14 was 31.10.2023. He emphasised on the fact that the actual date of

filing the belated return is of no consequence for the purpose of an

offence under Section 276CC as otherwise an assessee who has missed

filing the return before the due date for a given assessment year would

never file a belated return and the offence would never be committed.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 14 of 59

13. He further submitted that as per the 2014 guidelines, the expression

“first offence” means offence committed prior to the issuance of show

cause notice seeking to initiate prosecution as that is the earliest point

in time when the assessee is put to notice about the offence alleged to

have been committed by him. Once an assessee is put to notice, all

offences alleged to have been committed thereafter are not

compoundable. However, offences committed prior to the date when the

assessee is put to notice, would be treated as constituting the “first

offence” and hence would be compoundable. He submitted that in the

facts of the present case, two show cause notices were issued against the

appellant by the respondent authorities, one for AY 2011-12 issued on

27.10.2014 and the other for AY 2013-14 issued on 12.03.2015. He

argued that the High Court erroneously relied upon the actual date of

filing of return of income for the AY 2013-14 to hold that the offence

for the said assessment year was committed after the first show cause

notice in respect of AY 2011-12 had already been received. He

submitted that it is not the date of actual filing of the belated return of

income but the date immediately following the due date for filing of

return for the given assessment year which should be considered while

determining whether the offence is a “first offence” as per the 2014

guidelines.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 15 of 59

14. After explaining the factual position as aforesaid, he submitted that as

the offence under Section 276CC of the Act could be said to have been

committed on 01.11.2013, therefore, it could be said that the same was

committed before the first show cause notice seeking to initiate

prosecution for the AY 2011-12 was issued against the appellant. Thus,

even for the AY 2013-14, the offence committed by the accused under

Section 276CC would come within the scope of the expression “first

offence” as it is defined in the 2014 guidelines.

15. In such circumstances referred to above, the counsel prayed that there

being merit in his appeal, the impugned order passed by the High Court

be set aside and the respondent authorities be directed to accept the

compounding application moved by the appellant.

C. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE RESPONDENTS

16. Mrs. Monica Benjamin, the learned counsel appearing for the Revenue,

submitted that the offence under a particular provision of the Act, for a

specific assessment year, can only be committed once for that

assessment year. She further submitted that the objective of the 2014

guidelines has never been to compound the same offence every year

with no limit on the number of years for which it may be compounded.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 16 of 59

17. Referring to Clause 8 of the 2014 guidelines, she submitted that the said

Clause prescribes a limit after which both category of offences, that is,

A and B, are not to be generally compounded, by laying down that

Category A offences will not be generally compounded after the third

offence and Category B offences will not be generally compounded

after the first offence.

18. In response to the contention of the appellant that more than one offence

under Section 276CC of the Act can be compounded if all such offences

were committed before the issuance of the first show cause notice for

prosecution in relation to any of those offences, she submitted that if the

aforesaid submission is accepted then it would defeat the very intent and

purpose of the 2014 guidelines, as the said Guidelines are not meant to

benefit habitual and repeat offenders intending to circumvent the

provisions of the Act.

19. She further submitted that the issuance of a show cause notice is not a

prerequisite for recognising a first offence under the 2014 guidelines.

As per the meaning of the expression “first offence” as defined in the

2014 guidelines, a first offence can also be said to have been committed

when such an offence has not been detected by the Department but has

been voluntarily disclosed by the applicant by filing a compounding

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 17 of 59

application. In view of this, the counsel argued that the issuance of a

show cause notice could not be said to be a prerequisite for the

recognition of a first offence.

20. In furtherance of the aforesaid submission, she submitted that the

appellant could be said to have disclosed the commission of offence for

both AY 2011-12 and 2013-14 by belatedly filing his returns on

04.03.2013 and 29.11.2014 respectively for both the years, that is, after

the due dates prescribed for filing the returns for these years had

expired. She submitted that it was only after such a late filing of returns

by the appellant that the Department became aware of both the offences

and issued the respective show cause notices for the same. Thus, merely

because a show cause notice was not issued by the Department due to

non-detection that an offence under Section 276CC had been

committed, the same cannot be construed as absolving the assessee from

the fact that he had already committed an offence and disclosed the

same by filing the return of income belatedly.

21. She submitted that by virtue of delayed filing of the return of income

for AY 2011-12, the appellant had disclosed the commission of his first

offence prior to the due date of filing return for AY 2013-14. Therefore,

as the offence under Section 276CC of the Act for the AY 2013-14 was

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 18 of 59

committed after the disclosure of the offence under Section 276CC for

the AY 2011-12, hence the offence for the AY 2013-14 could not be

said to be covered within the meaning of the expression “first offence”

as defined in the 2014 guidelines.

22. Placing emphasis on a letter dated 29.09.2017, she submitted that in the

said letter the appellant had admitted committing the second offence and

having made such an admission, he cannot be permitted to retract from

it at this stage.

23. The counsel further submitted that Clause 4 of the 2014 guidelines

stipulates that compounding of offences is not a matter of right and

therefore a hyper-technical view should not be taken by the Court while

interpreting the 2014 guidelines and only such an interpretation which

furthers the underlying intention behind the guidelines should be

adopted.

24. She further submitted that the appellant’s reading of the definition of

the expression “first offence” under Clause 8 of the 2014 guidelines

could be termed as erroneous for the reason that it conveniently

overlooks the latter part of the definition which provides that the

offences that have gone undetected by the Department but have been

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 19 of 59

voluntarily disclosed by the applicant would also be covered under the

definition of the expression “first offence”.

25. In the last, the counsel prayed that this Court may not allow the

appellant to take advantage of his own wrongs. She prayed that the

impugned judgment of the High Court may not be disturbed and the

appeal be dismissed.

D. ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION

26. Having heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties and having

gone through the materials on record, the following questions fall for

our consideration:

a. Whether an offence under Section 276CC of the Income Tax Act,

1961 could be said to have been committed on the actual date of

filing of return of income or on the day immediately after the due

date for filing of returns as per Section 139(1) of the Act?

b. What is the meaning of the expression “first offence” appearing

in Clause 8 of the 2014 guidelines?

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 20 of 59

c. What amounts to voluntary disclosure for the purpose of Clause

8 of the 2014 guidelines?

d. Whether the 2014 guidelines are mandatory or directory in

nature?

E. ANALYSIS

i. Section 276CC of the Income Tax Act, 1961

27. Chapter XXII of the Act deals with offences and prosecutions and

consists of Sections 275A to 280D. Section 276CC of the Act inter-alia

provides that if a person fails to furnish the return of income which he

is required to furnish under sub-section (1) of Section 139 of the Act,

then he shall be punishable with:

a. Rigorous imprisonment for a term ranging between six months

to seven years along with fine in cases where the amount of tax

which would have been evaded if the failure of the person had

not been discovered is more than twenty-five hundred thousand

rupees; and

b. Rigorous imprisonment for a term ranging between three months

to two years and with fine - in any other case.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 21 of 59

28. Section 276CC of the Act as it stood at the relevant point in time is

reproduced hereinbelow:

“276CC. Failure to furnish returns of income.—

If a person wilfully fails to furnish in due time the return

of fringe benefits which he is required to furnish under

sub-section (1) of section 115WD or by notice given under

sub-section (2) of the said section or section 115WH or the

return of income which he is required to furnish under sub-

section (1) of section 139 or by notice given under clause

(i) of sub-section (1) of section 142 or section 148 or

section 153A, he shall be punishable,—

(i) in a case where the amount of tax, which would

have been evaded if the failure had not been

discovered, exceeds twenty-five hundred thousand

rupees, with rigorous imprisonment for a term

which shall not be less than six months but which

may extend to seven years and with fine;

(ii) in any other case, with imprisonment for a term

which shall not be less than three months but which

may extend to two years and with fine:

Provided that a person shall not be proceeded against

under this section for failure to furnish in due time the

return of fringe benefits under sub-section (1) of section

115WD or return of income under sub-section (1) of

section 139—

(i) for any assessment year commencing prior to the

1st day of April, 1975; or

(ii) for any assessment year commencing on or after

the 1st day of April, 1975, if—

(a) the return is furnished by him before the

expiry of the assessment year; or

(b) the tax payable by such person, not being

a company, on the total income determined

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 22 of 59

on regular assessment, as reduced by the

advance tax, if any, paid, and any tax

deducted at source, does not exceed three

thousand rupees.”

29. Sub-clause (b) of clause (ii) of the proviso to Section 276CC was

substituted by the Act No. 23 of 2019 with effect from 01.04.2020. The

said sub-clause, as it stands after the amendment, is reproduced

hereinbelow:

“(b) the tax payable by such person, not being a company,

on the total income determined on regular assessment, as

reduced by the advance tax or self-assessment tax, if any,

paid before the expiry of the assessment year. and any tax

deducted or collected at source, does not exceed ten

thousand rupees.”

30. The proviso to the aforesaid provision prescribes certain cases in which

proceedings under the provision would not be initiated and inter alia

stipulates that for the assessment years commencing after 1st day of

April, 1975, no proceedings under Section 276CC shall lie against any

person for the failure to furnish return of income in due time if the return

is furnished by him before the expiry of the said assessment year. It

further provides that for the assessment years commencing from

01.04.1975, no proceedings shall be initiated under the provision if the

tax payable by the person, not being a company, does not exceed ten

thousand rupees.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 23 of 59

31. Section 276CC punishes the wilful failure by the assessee in furnishing

the following types of returns in due time:

a. Return of fringe benefits which he is required to furnish under

sub-section (1) of section 115WD or by notice given under sub-

section (2) of the said section or section 115WH; or

b. Return of income which he is required to furnish under sub-

section (1) of section 139 or by notice given under clause (i) of

sub-section (1) of section 142 or section 148 or section 153A.

32. In the case at hand, we are only concerned with the failure of a person

in furnishing, in due time, the return of income which he is required to

furnish under Section 139. Hence, it is also necessary to advert to the

relevant portions of Section 139 of the Act as well and they are

reproduced below:

“139. Return of income.—(1) Every person,—

(a) being a company or a firm; or

(b) being a person other than a company or a firm, if his

total income or the total income of any other person in

respect of which he is assessable under this Act during the

previous year exceeded the maximum amount which is not

chargeable to income-tax,

shall, on or before the due date, furnish a return of his

income or the income of such other person during the

previous year, in the prescribed form and verified in the

prescribed manner and setting forth such other particulars

as may be prescribed :

xxx xxx xxx

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 24 of 59

(4) Anyperson who has not furnished a return within the

time allowed to him under sub-section (1), may furnish the

return for any previous year at any time before the end of

the relevant assessment year or before the completion of

the assessment, whichever is earlier.

xxx xxx xxx

8) (a) Where the return under sub-section (1) or sub-

section (2) or sub-section (4) for an assessment year is

furnished after the specified date, or is not furnished, then

whether or not the Assessing Officer has extended the date

for furnishing the return under sub-section (1) or sub-

section (2), the assessee shall be liable to pay simple

interest at fifteen per cent per annum, reckoned from the

day immediately following the specified date to the date of

the furnishing of the return or, where no return has been

furnished, the date of completion of the assessment under

section 144, on the amount of the tax payable on the total

income as determined on regular assessment, as reduced

by the advance tax, if any, paid, and any tax deducted at

source: Provided that the Assessing Officer may, in such

cases and under such circumstances as may be prescribed,

reduce or waive the interest payable by any assessee under

this sub-section.

Explanation 1.—For the purposes of this sub-section,

“specified date”, in relation to a return for an assessment

year, means,—

(a) in the case of every assessee whose total income,

or the total income of any person in respect of which

he is assessable under this Act, includes any income

from business or profession, the date of the expiry

of four months from the end of the previous year or

where there is more than one previous year, from

the end of the previous year which expired last

before the commencement of the assessment year or

the 30th day of June of the assessment year,

whichever is later;

(b) in the case of every other assessee, the 30th day

of June of the assessment year. [...]”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 25 of 59

33. Section 139(1) inter alia provides that every person shall, on or before

the due date, furnish a return of his income during the previous year, in

the prescribed form and verified in the prescribed manner and setting

forth such other particulars as may be prescribed. Sub-section (4) of

Section 139 provides that if a person has failed to furnish the return of

income within due time prescribed under sub-section (1), then he may

furnish the return for any previous year at any time before the end of the

relevant assessment year or before the completion of the assessment,

whichever is earlier.

34. To fully understand the import of Section 276CC of the Act, it is

necessary to understand the meaning of the expressions “wilfully fails”

and “in due time” used in the said provision respectively. This Court in

Prakash Nath Khanna v. CIT reported in (2004) 9 SCC 686 was called

upon to look into the scope and meaning of the expression “in due time”

appearing in Section 276CC of the Act and whether it refers to the time

period referred to in Section 139(1) or the time period referred to in

Section 139(4). This Court, after discussing the various methods of

statutory interpretation, took the view that the legislative intent behind

Section 276CC, undoubtedly, was to restrict the meaning of the

expression “in due time” used in the said provision to the time period

referred to in Section 139(1) and not to the time period referred to in

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 26 of 59

Section 139(4). Explaining the meaning of the expression “wilful

failure”, the Court observed that the same has to be adjudicated factually

by the trial court dealing with the prosecution of the case. The Court

further observed that by virtue of Section 278E, the trial court has to

presume the existence of culpable mental state and it would be open to

the accused to plead the absence of the same in his defence. The relevant

observations made by the Court are reproduced hereinbelow:

“13. It is a well-settled principle in law that the court

cannot read anything into a statutory provision which is

plain and unambiguous. A statute is an edict of the

legislature. The language employed in a statute is the

determinative factor of legislative intent. The first and

primary rule of construction is that the intention of the

legislation must be found in the words used by the

legislature itself. The question is not what may be

supposed and has been intended but what has been said.

“Statutes should be construed, not as theorems of Euclid”,

Judge Learned Hand said, “but words must be construed

with some imagination of the purposes which lie behind

them”. (See Lenigh Valley Coal Co. v. Yensavage [218 FR

547] .) The view was reiterated in Union of India v. Filip

Tiago De Gama of Vedem Vasco De Gama [(1990) 1 SCC

277 : AIR 1990 SC 981] and Padma Sundara Rao v. State

of T.N. [(2002) 3 SCC 533]

14. In D.R. Venkatachalam v. Dy. Transport Commr.

[(1977) 2 SCC 273] it was observed that courts must avoid

the danger of a priori determination of the meaning of a

provision based on their own preconceived notions of

ideological structure or scheme into which the provision

to be interpreted is somewhat fitted. They are not entitled

to usurp legislative function under the disguise of

interpretation.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 27 of 59

15. While interpreting a provision the court only interprets

the law and cannot legislate it. If a provision of law is

misused and subjected to the abuse of process of law, it is

for the legislature to amend, modify or repeal it, if deemed

necessary. (See Rishabh Agro Industries Ltd. v. P.N.B.

Capital Services Ltd. [(2000) 5 SCC 515] ) The legislative

casus omissus cannot be supplied by judicial

interpretative process.

16. Two principles of construction — one relating to casus

omissus and the other in regard to reading the statute as

a whole — appear to be well settled. Under the first

principle a casus omissus cannot be supplied by the court

except in the case of clear necessity and when reason for

it is found in the four corners of the statute itself but at the

same time a casus omissus should not be readily inferred

and for that purpose all the parts of a statute or section

must be construed together and every clause of a section

should be construed with reference to the context and

other clauses thereof so that the construction to be put on

a particular provision makes a consistent enactment of the

whole statute. This would be more so if literal construction

of a particular clause leads to manifestly absurd or

anomalous results which could not have been intended by

the legislature. “An intention to produce an unreasonable

result”, said Danckwerts, L.J., in Artemiou v. Procopiou

[(1966) 1 QB 878 : (1965) 3 All ER 539 : (1965) 3 WLR

1011 (CA)] (All ER p. 544 I), “is not to be imputed to a

statute if there is some other construction available”.

Where to apply words literally would “defeat the obvious

intention of the legislation and produce a wholly

unreasonable result”, we must “do some violence to the

words” and so achieve that obvious intention and produce

a rational construction. [Per Lord Reid in Luke v. IRC

[1963 AC 557 : (1963) 1 All ER 655 : (1963) 2 WLR 559

(HL)] where at AC p. 577 he also observed : (All ER p.

664 I) “This is not a new problem, though our standard of

drafting is such that it rarely emerges.”]

17. The heading of the section or the marginal note may

be relied upon to clear any doubt or ambiguity in the

interpretation of the provision and to discern the

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 28 of 59

legislative intent. In CIT v. Ahmedbhai Umarbhai and Co.

[1950 SCC 94 : AIR 1950 SC 134] after referring to the

view expressed by Lord Macnaghten in Balraj Kunwar v.

Jagatpal Singh [ILR (1904) 26 All 393 : 31 IA 132 : 1 All

LJ 384 (PC)] it was held that marginal notes in an Indian

statute, as in an Act of Parliament cannot be referred to

for the purpose of construing the statute. Similar view was

expressed in Board of Muslim Wakfs, Rajasthan v. Radha

Kishan [(1979) 2 SCC 468] and Kalawatibai v. Soiryabai

[(1991) 3 SCC 410 : AIR 1991 SC 1581] . Marginal note

certainly cannot control the meaning of the body of the

section if the language employed there is clear. (See

Nandini Satpathy v. P.L. Dani [(1978) 2 SCC 424 : 1978

SCC (Cri) 236 : AIR 1978 SC 1025] .) In the present case

as noted above, the provisions of Section 276-CC are in

clear terms. There is no scope for trying to clear any doubt

or ambiguity as urged by learned counsel for the

appellants. Interpretation sought to be put on Section 276-

CC to the effect that if a return is filed under sub-section

(4) of Section 139 it means that the requirements of sub-

section (1) of Section 139 would stand complied with

cannot be accepted for more reasons than one.

18. One of the significant terms used in Section 276-CC is

“in due time”. The time within which the return is to be

furnished is indicated only in sub-section (1) of Section

139 and not in sub-section (4) of Section 139. That being

so, even if a return is filed in terms of sub-section (4) of

Section 139 that would not dilute the infraction in not

furnishing the return in due time as prescribed under sub-

section (1) of Section 139. Otherwise, the use of the

expression “in due time” would lose its relevance and it

cannot be said that the said expression was used without

any purpose. Before substitution of the expression “clause

(i) of sub-section (1) of Section 142” by the Direct Tax

Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987 w.e.f. 1-4-1989, the

expression used was “sub-section (2) of Section 139”. At

the relevant point of time the assessing officer was

empowered to issue a notice requiring furnishing of a

return within the time indicated therein. That means the

infractions which are covered by Section 276-CC relate to

non-furnishing of return within the time in terms of sub-

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 29 of 59

section (1) or indicated in the notice given under sub-

section (2) of Section 139. There is no condonation of the

said infraction, even if a return is filed in terms of sub-

section (4). Accepting such a plea would mean that a

person who has not filed a return within the due time as

prescribed under sub-section (1) or (2) of Section 139

would get benefit by filing the return under Section 139(4)

much later. This cannot certainly be the legislative intent.

19. Another plea which was urged with some amount of

vehemence was that the provisions of Section 276-CC are

applicable only when there is discovery of the failure

regarding evasion of tax. It was submitted that since the

return under sub-section (4) of Section 139 was filed

before the discovery of any evasion, the provision has no

application. The case at hand cannot be covered by the

expression “in any other case”. This argument though

attractive has no substance.

20. The provision consists of two parts. First relates to the

infractions warranting penal consequences and the

second, measure of punishment. The second part in turn

envisages two situations. The first situation is where there

is discovery of the failure involving the evasion of tax of a

particular amount. For the said infraction stringent penal

consequences have been provided. Second situation

covers all cases except the first situation elaborated

above.

21. The term of imprisonment is higher when the amount

of tax which would have been evaded but for the discovery

of the failure to furnish the return exceeds one hundred

thousand rupees. If the plea of the appellants is accepted,

it would mean that in a given case where there is infraction

and where a return has not been furnished in terms of sub-

section (1) of Section 139 or even in response to a notice

issued in terms of sub-section (2), the consequences

flowing from non-furnishing of return would get

obliterated. At the relevant point of time Section 139(4)(a)

permitted filing of return where return has not been filed

within sub-section (1) and sub-section (2). The time-limit

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 30 of 59

was provided in clause (b). Section 276-CC refers to “due

time” in relation to sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 139

and not to sub-section (4). Had the legislature intended to

cover sub-section (4) also, use of the expression “Section

139” alone would have sufficed. It cannot be said that the

legislature without any purpose or intent specified only

sub-sections (1) and (2) and the conspicuous omission of

sub-section (4) has no meaning or purpose behind it. Sub-

section (4) of Section 139 cannot by any stretch of

imagination control operation of sub-section (1) wherein

a fixed period for furnishing the return is stipulated. The

mere fact that for purposes of assessment and carrying

forward and to set off losses it is treated as one filed within

sub-section (1) or (2) cannot be pressed into service to

claim it to be actually one such, though it is factually and

really not by extending it beyond its legitimate purpose.

22. Whether there was wilful failure to furnish the return

is a matter which is to be adjudicated factually by the court

which deals with the prosecution case. Section 278-E is

relevant for this purpose and the same reads as follows:

“278-E. Presumption as to culpable mental state.—

(1) In any prosecution for any offence under this Act

which requires a culpable mental state on the part

of the accused, the court shall presume the existence

of such mental state but it shall be a defence for the

accused to prove the fact that he had no such mental

state with respect to the act charged as an offence

in that prosecution.

Explanation.—In this sub-section, ‘culpable mental

state’ includes intention, motive or knowledge of a

fact or belief in, or reason to believe, a fact.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a fact is said to

be proved only when the court believes it to exist

beyond reasonable doubt and not merely when its

existence is established by a preponderance of

probability.”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 31 of 59

23. There is a statutory presumption prescribed in Section

278-E. The court has to presume the existence of culpable

mental state, and absence of such mental state can be

pleaded by an accused as a defence in respect to the act

charged as an offence in the prosecution. Therefore, the

factual aspects highlighted by the appellants were rightly

not dealt with by the High Court. This is a matter for trial.

It is certainly open to the appellants to plead absence of

culpable mental state when the matter is taken up for

trial.”

(Emphasis supplied)

35. What is discernable from the aforesaid decision is that an offence under

Section 276CC could be said to have been committed as soon as there

is a failure on the part of the assessee in furnishing the return of income

within the due time as prescribed under Section 139(1) of the Act.

Subsequent furnishing of the return of income by the assessee within

the time limit prescribed under sub-section (4) of Section 139 or before

prosecution is initiated does not have any bearing upon the fact that an

offence under Section 276CC has been committed on the day

immediately following the due date for furnishing return of income.

36. Thus, the appellant is right in his contention that the point in time when

the offence under Section 276CC could be said to be committed is the

day immediately following the due date prescribed for filing of return

of income under Section 139(1) of the Act, and the actual date of filing

of the return of income at a belated stage would not affect in any manner

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 32 of 59

the determination of the date on which the offence under Section 276CC

of the Act was committed.

37. This can also be discerned from Section 139(8) of the Act which reads

as follows:

“Where the return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2)

or sub-section (4) for an assessment year is furnished after

the specified date, or is not furnished, then whether or not

the Assessing Officer has extended the date for furnishing

the return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the

assessee shall be liable to pay simple interest at fifteen per

cent per annum, reckoned from the day immediately

following the specified date to the date of the furnishing of

the return or, where no return has been furnished, the date

of completion of the assessment under section 144, on the

amount of the tax payable on the total income as

determined on regular assessment, as reduced by the

advance tax, if any, paid, and any tax deducted at source:

Provided that the Assessing Officer may, in such cases and

under such circumstances as may be prescribed, reduce or

waive the interest payable by any assessee under this sub-

section.”

38. A perusal of the aforesaid provision makes it clear that irrespective of

whether the return of income is filed by an assessee after the specified

date or is not furnished at all, the assessee shall be liable to pay simple

interest at the rate 15% reckoned from the day immediately following

the specified date notwithstanding the fact that the Assessing Officer

has extended the date for furnishing of return.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 33 of 59

39. Accepting the contention of the respondents would mean that the

commission of an offence under Section 276CC is made contingent

upon the filing of the actual belated return by an assessee. This could

never have been the intention of the legislature in enacting the provision

as such a reading would mean that no assessee would file a return of

income after the due date has expired and despite such failure would be

able to escape any liability under Section 276CC of the Act.

40. Having discussed the scope of Section 276CC and the ingredients

required to constitute an offence under the said provision, the next

question that falls for us is whether the appellant could be said to have

committed an offence under Section 276CC of the Act and if yes, then

whether the appellant is entitled to the benefit of compounding of the

offence under the relevant compounding guidelines.

41. The due-date for filing the return of income for the AY 2011-12 was

30.09.2011. The appellant filed his return with delay on 04.03.2013.

Hence, as the return was filed beyond the due date for filing the return,

an offence under Section 276CC could be said to have been committed

by the appellant prima facie.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 34 of 59

42. Similarly, the due date for filing the return of income for the AY 2013-

14 was 31.10.2013, whereas the appellant filed the return for the said

year on 29.11.2014. Hence, the appellant once again breached the

requirement of Section 276CC and thus committed an offence as

defined under the said provision.

43. Even otherwise, it has not been disputed by the appellant that an offence

under Section 276CC was committed by him for AYs 2011-12 and

2013-14 respectively, and he had preferred compounding applications

for both the assessment years. While his compounding application for

the AY 2011-12 came to be allowed, his compounding application for

the AY 2013-14 was rejected by Respondent no. 1 and the rejection was

upheld by the High Court vide the impugned order.

44. In view of the dictum laid in Prakash Nath Khanna (supra), the date

for commission of both of these offences would be the day falling

immediately next to the due date for filing of return, that is 01.10.2011

for AY 2011-12 and 01.11.2013 for the AY 2013-14.

45. The pertinent question that now arises is whether the offences

committed by the appellant under Section 276CC of the Act could be

said to be compoundable under the relevant provision of the Act read

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 35 of 59

with the appropriate compounding guidelines issued from time to time.

At the outset it is important to ascertain the compounding guidelines

which would be applicable for the purpose of adjudication of the

compounding application made by the appellant.

46. The 2014 guidelines superseded the 2008 guidelines and came into

effect from 01.01.2015. Clause 2 of the 2014 guidelines provided that

all compounding applications received on or after 01.01.2015 shall be

decided in accordance with the 2014 guidelines whereas all applications

received prior to 01.01.2015 would be governed by the 2008 guidelines

which came into effect on 16.05.2008.

47. In the case at hand, the compounding application for the AY 2011-12

was made on 11.11.2014 and thus would be governed by the 2008

guidelines. As the compounding application for the AY 2013-14 was

preferred by the appellant on 19.03.2015, hence it would be governed

by the 2014 guidelines. Since the present appeal is only concerned with

the compounding application for the AY 2013-14, hence we are limiting

our discussion to the 2014 guidelines. However, as the compounding

guidelines are framed to guide the exercise of power of compounding

conferred upon the CCIT and DGIT under Section 279(2) of the Act,

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 36 of 59

hence we deem it appropriate to first examine the provisions of the Act

before discussing the guidelines.

ii. Provisions pertaining to compounding of offences

48. Section 279 of the Act is reproduced hereinbelow:

“279. Prosecution to be at instance of Principal Chief

Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal

Commissioner or Commissioner.—

(1) A person shall not be proceeded against for an offence

under section 275A, section 275B, section 276, section

276A, section 276B, section 276BB, section 276C, section

276CC, section 276D, section 277, section 277A or

section 278 except with the previous sanction of the

Principal Commissioner or Commissioner or

Commissioner (Appeals) or the appropriate authority:

Provided that the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief

Commissioner or, as the case may be, Principal Director

General or Director General may issue such instructions

or directions to the aforesaid income-tax authorities as he

may deem fit for institution of proceedings under this sub-

section.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,

“appropriate authority” shall have the same meaning as

in clause (c) of section 269UA.

(1A) A person shall not be proceeded against for an

offence under section 276C or section 277 in relation to

the assessment for an assessment year in respect of which

the penalty imposed or imposable on him under section

270A or clause (iii) of sub-section (1) of section 271 has

been reduced or waived by an order under section 273A.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 37 of 59

(2) Any offence under this Chapter may, either before or

after the institution of proceedings, be compounded by the

Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or

a Principal Director General or Director General.

(3) Where any proceeding has been taken against any

person under sub-section (1), any statement made or

account or other document produced by such person

before any of the income-tax authorities specified in

clauses (a) to (g) of section 116 shall not be inadmissible

as evidence for the purpose of such proceedings merely on

the ground that such statement was made or such account

or other document was produced in the belief that the

penalty imposable would be reduced or waived, under

section 273A or that the offence in respect of which such

proceeding was taken would be compounded.

Explanation.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby

declared that the power of the Board to issue orders,

instructions or directions under this Act shall include and

shall be deemed always to have included the power to

issue instructions or directions (including instructions or

directions to obtain the previous approval of the Board) to

other income-tax authorities for the proper composition of

offences under this section.”

49. Sub-section (1) of Section 279 of the Act provides that any prosecution

for the commission of an offence under Sections 275A, 275B, 276,

276A, 276B, 276BB, 276C, 276CC, 276D, 277, 277A or 278 of the Act

respectively cannot be launched except with the previous sanction of

the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner or Commissioner

(Appeals) or the appropriate authority. The proviso to Sub-section (1)

of Section 279 empowers the Principal Chief Commissioner or the

Chief Commissioner or the Principal Director General or Director

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 38 of 59

General to issue appropriate directions to the authorities specified in

sub-Section (1) for the initiation of prosecution.

50. Sub-section (2) of Section 279 empowers the Principal Chief

Commissioner, the Chief Commissioner, the Principal Director General

and the Director General to compound any offence defined under

Chapter XXII of the Act, either before or after the initiation of

proceedings.

51. While interpreting the nature of the power conferred upon the Principal

Chief Commissioner under Section 279, this Court in Union of India v.

Banwari Lal Agarwal reported in (1998) 7 SCC 652 held that sub-

section (2) of the provision is enabling in nature and cannot be construed

as allowing the assessee to demand compounding as a matter of right.

The relevant observations are reproduced hereinbelow:

“7. We further find that sub-section (2) of Section 279 is a

provision which enables the Chief Commissioner or the

Director General to compound any offence either before

or after the institution of proceedings. There is no warrant

in interpreting this sub-section to mean that before any

prosecution is launched, either a show-cause notice

should be given or an opportunity afforded to compound

the matter. The enabling provision cannot give a right to

a party to insist on the Chief Commissioner or the Director

General to make an offer of compounding before the

prosecution is launched.”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 39 of 59

52. The effect and scope of the Explanation to Section 279, which was

inserted vide the Finance Act, 1991 (Act 2 of 1991) was explained by

this Court in the case of Y.P. Chawla v. M.P. Tiwari reported in (1992)

2 SCC 672. It was observed therein that the Explanation serves as a

proviso to Section 279(2) of the Act, meaning thereby that the exercise

of power under this section by the Commissioner must adhere to the

periodically issued instructions by the Board. The Explanation grants

the Board the authority to issue orders, instructions, or directions

concerning the proper composition of offences under Section 279(2)

and explicitly allows for directives requiring prior approval from the

Board. The Court observed that when Section 279(2) is read alongside

the Explanation, it becomes clear that the Commissioner must follow

the instructions given by the Board when exercising discretion under

this section. The relevant observations made therein are reproduced

hereinbelow:

“2. Whether the Central Board of Direct Taxes, (the

Board) under Section 119 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (the

Act) can issue instructions to control the discretion of the

Commissioner of Income Tax under Section 279(2) of the

Act, to compound the offences, is the short question for our

consideration.

xxx xxx xxx

9. This Court in Navnitlal C. Javeri v. K.K. Sen, Appellant

Assistant C.I.T. [(1965) 1 SCR 909 : AIR 1965 SC 1375 :

(1965) 56 ITR 198] , Ellerman Lines Ltd. v. C.I.T. [(1972)

4 SCC 474 : 1974 SCC (Tax) 304] and in K.P. Varghese

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 40 of 59

v. ITO [(1981) 4 SCC 173 : 1981 SCC (Tax) 293] has held

that circulars issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes

under Section 119(1) of the Act are binding on all officers

and persons employed in the execution of the Act even if

they deviate from the provisions of the Act. The High Court

has discussed these judgments in detail and has

distinguished them on plausible grounds. It is not

necessary for us to go into this question because the legal

position has altered to the advantage of the Revenue by

the introduction of an Explanation to Section 279 of the

Act by the Finance Act (2 of 1991) which has been made

operative with effect from April 1, 1962. The Explanation

is as under:—

“Explanation.— For the removal of doubts, it is

hereby declared that the power of the Board to issue

orders, instructions, or directions under this Act

shall include and shall be deemed always to have

included the power to issue instructions or

directions (including instructions or directions to

obtain the previous approval of the Board) to other

Income Tax authorities for the proper composition

of offences under this section.”

10. The Explanation is in the nature of a proviso to Section

279(2) of the Act with the result that the exercise of power

by the Commissioner under the said section has to be

subject to the instructions issued by the Board from time

to time. The Explanation empowers the Board to issue

orders, instructions or directions for the proper

composition of the offences under Section 279(2) of the Act

and further specifically provides that directions for

obtaining previous approval of the Board can also be

issued. Reading Section 279(2) along with the

Explanation, there is no manner of doubt that the

Commissioner has to exercise the discretion under Section

279(2) of the Act in conformity with the instructions issued

by the Board from time to time.”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 41 of 59

iii. Guidelines for Compounding of Offences under Direct Tax

Laws, 2014

53. The Guidelines for Compounding of Offences under Direct Tax Laws,

2014 were issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Department of

Revenue, Government of India in supersession of the previous

guidelines which were issued on 16.05.2008. These guidelines were one

in line of many guidelines which were issued by the Central Board of

Direct Taxes from time to time to provide guiding principles for the

exercise of the power conferred by section 279(2) of the Act which

allows compounding of offences by the Principal Chief Commissioner

or Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General or Director

General either before or after the institution of proceedings.

54. Paragraph 2 of the 2014 guidelines specifies the date from which the

guidelines would come into force and also the applications which would

be governed by it. Paragraph 3 stipulates the authorities who are

authorised to compound the offences in exercise of the power conferred

under Section 279(2).

55. Paragraph 4 of the 2014 guidelines provides that compounding of

offences is not a matter of right of the assessee. However, the offences

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 42 of 59

may be compounded by the competent authority upon satisfaction that

the eligibility conditions prescribed in the 2014 guidelines are being

fulfilled and keeping in view factors like the conduct of the assessee,

nature and magnitude of the offence, and of course the facts and

circumstances of each case. Thus, what can be discerned from

Paragraph 4 is that while it stipulates that the eligibility conditions

prescribed in the guidelines are to be satisfied necessarily, the ultimate

discretion to compound the offence(s) or not has to be guided by factors

which include the conduct of assessee, nature and magnitude of the

offence and the unique facts of each case.

56. Paragraph 5 of the 2014 guidelines provides that the guidelines would

not be applicable for the compounding of any prosecution initiated

under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the same can only be withdrawn

under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

57. Paragraph 6 of the guidelines provides two categories of offences which

can be compounded - category A and category B offences. Category A

offences include the offences defined under Sections 276, 276B 276BB,

276DD, 276E, 277 and 278 of the Act respectively. Whereas Category

B offences include the offences defined under Sections 275A, 275B,

276, 276A, 276AA, 276AB, 276C(1), 276C(2), 276CC, 276CCC,

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 43 of 59

276D, 277, 277A, 278 of the Act respectively. Thus, the offence

involved in the case at hand being one under Section 276CC of the Act

would be governed by the rules applicable to the compounding of

Category B offences.

58. Paragraph 7 of the 2014 guidelines prescribes certain eligibility

conditions which have to be satisfied by the applicant before his

application for compounding can be accepted by the competent

authority. The conditions, as prescribed under the guidelines, are

reproduced hereinbelow:

“7. Eligibility Conditions for compounding:

The following conditions should be satisfied for

considering compounding of an offence :-

i. The person makes an application to the CCIT/DGIT

having jurisdiction over the case for compounding of the

offence(s) in the prescribed format (Annexure-1)

ii. The person has paid the outstanding tax, interest,

penalty and any other sum due, relating to the offence for

which compounding has been sought.

iii. The person undertakes to pay the compounding

charges including the compounding fee, the prosecution

establishment expenses and the litigation expenses

including counsel's fee, if any, determined and

communicated by the CCIT/DGIT concerned.

iv. The person undertakes to withdraw appeal filed by him,

if any, in case the same has a bearing on the offence sought

to be compounded. In case such appeal has mixed

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 44 of 59

grounds, some of which may not be related to the offence

under consideration, the undertaking may be taken for

appropriate modification in grounds of such appeal.”

59. Paragraph 8 of the guidelines prescribes offences which are generally

not to be compounded under the compounding guidelines. It provides

that a Category A offence which is sought to be compounded by an

applicant in whose case compounding was allowed in the past in an

offence under the same section for which the present compounding

application has been made on three occasions or more shall not be

compounded. Secondly, it prescribes that category B offences will not

be generally compounded other than the first offence as defined in the

guidelines. A “first offence” has been defined by Paragraph 8 as

follows:

“First offence means offence under any of the Direct Tax

Laws committed prior to (a) the date of issue of any show-

cause notice for prosecution or (b) any intimation relating

to prosecution by the Department to the person concerned

or (c) launching of any prosecution, whichever is earlier;

OR

Offence not detected by the department but voluntarily

disclosed by a person prior to the filing of application for

compounding of offence in the case under any Direct Tax

Acts. For this purpose, offence is relevant if it is committed

by the same entity. The first offence is to be determined

separately with reference to each section of the Act under

which it is committed.”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 45 of 59

60. A perusal of the reproduced portion of Paragraph 8 shows that the

expression “first offence” has been defined under the compounding

guidelines as any offence committed:

a. Prior to the date of issuance of any show cause notice for

prosecution in relation to the said offence; or

b. Prior to any intimation relating to prosecution by the department

to the person concerned or prior to the launching of any

prosecution, whichever is earlier.

61. Further, the expression “first offence” is also defined to include any

offence which has not been detected by the Department, but has been

voluntarily disclosed by a person prior to the filing of an application for

compounding of offence in the case under any direct tax Acts. Clause 8

further clarifies that the first offence would be determined separately

with reference to each section of the Act under which it is committed

and it would be relevant only if it is committed by the same entity.

62. Paragraph 8 further prescribes certain additional categories of offences

which are generally not to be considered for compounding. They are

reproduced hereinbelow:

“iii. Offences committed by a person who, as a result of

investigation conducted by any Central or State agency

and as per information available with the CCIT/DGIT

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 46 of 59

concerned, has been found involved, in any manner, in

anti-national/terrorist activity.

iv. Offences committed by a person who, was convicted by

a court of law for an offence under any law, other than the

Direct Taxes laws, for which the prescribed punishment

was imprisonment for two years or more, with or without

fine, and which has a bearing on the offence sought to be

compounded.

v. Offences committed by a person which, as per

information available with the CCIT/DGIT concerned,

have a bearing on a case under investigation (at any stage

including enquiry, filing of FIR/complaint) by

Enforcement Directorate, CBI, Lokpal, Lokayukta or any

other Central or State agency.

vi. Offences committed by a person for which he was

convicted by a court of law under Direct Taxes laws.

vii. Offences committed by a person for which complaint

was filed with the competent court 12 months prior to

receipt of the application for compounding.

viii. Offences committed by a person whose application for

'plea-bargaining' under Chapter XXI-A of 'Code of

Criminal Procedure' is pending in a Court or a Court has

recorded that a 'mutually satisfactory disposition of such

an application is not worked out'.

ix. Any other offence, which the CCIT/DGIT concerned

considers not fit for compounding in view of its nature and

magnitude.”

63. Paragraph 9 of the 2014 guidelines empowers the Minister of Finance

to relax the restrictions stipulated in Paragraph 8 of the guidelines for

the purposes of compounding in a deserving case upon the consideration

of a report from the Board on a petition made by an applicant.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 47 of 59

64. Paragraph 10 of the 2014 guidelines prescribes the competent authority

for the purpose of compounding an offence under the guidelines.

Paragraph 11 provides for the compounding procedure.

65. Paragraph 12 provides for the compounding fee which would be

applicable to the compounding of offences committed under specific

provisions of the Act. Paragraph 12.4 prescribes the compounding fee

applicable to offences committed under Section 276CC and is

reproduced hereinbelow:

“12.4 Section 276CC- Failure to furnish returns of

income.

12.4.1 2% per month or part of a month of the tax and

interest determined on assessment or reassessment, in

relation to return of income that was required to be

furnished under section 139(1) or section 142(1) or

section 148 or section 153A/153C as the case may be,

existing on the date of conveyance of compounding

charges to the applicant, determined after rectification u/s

154 of the Act, if any and as reduced by the tax deducted

at source and advance tax, if any, paid during the financial

year immediately preceding the assessment year,

reckoned from the date immediately following the date on

which the return of income was due to be furnished to the

date of furnishing of the return or where no return was

furnished, to the date of completion of the assessment.

12.4.2 Where, before the date of furnishing of the return

or where no return was furnished before the date of

completion of assessment, any tax is paid by the person u/s

140A, compounding fee shall be calculated in the manner

prescribed above up-to the date on which the tax is so

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 48 of 59

paid; and thereafter, the fee shall be calculated at the

aforesaid rate on the amount of tax and interest

determined on the assessment or re-assessment as the case

may be, determined after rectification u/s 154 of the Act,

if any, as reduced by the TDS, TCS, advance tax and tax

paid u/s 140A before filing of the return of income or

where no return was furnished from the date of completion

of assessment or reassessment.”

(Emphasis supplied)

66. A perusal of Paragraph 12.4 of the 2014 guidelines as reproduced

hereinabove shows that the compounding fee to be levied in the case of

an offence under Section 276CC is to be reckoned from the date

immediately following the date on which return was due. This is in

consonance with Section 139(8) of the Act and further fortifies the

argument of the appellant that it is not the date of actual filing of belated

return, but the date immediately following the due date for filing of

return which is to be considered as the date of commission of the

offence.

67. Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines provides that a category B offence

will generally not be compounded except when it is the first offence

committed by the applicant. As discussed aforesaid, the offence

committed by the applicant would be covered by the expression “first

offence” if it is committed prior to:

a. Issuance of any show-cause notice for prosecution; or

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 49 of 59

b. Intimation relating to any prosecution by the Department to the

applicant; or

c. Launch of any prosecution, whichever is earlier.

68. In the case at hand, the show cause notice for the initiation of

prosecution for the AY 2011-12 was the earliest in time and hence what

falls for our determination is whether the offence under Section 276CC

for the AY 2013-14 could be said to have been committed before the

show cause notice for initiation of prosecution for the AY 2011-12 was

issued by the Department.

69. As discussed above, the show cause notice for the AY 2011-12 was

issued to the appellant on 27.10.2014. However, the offence under

Section 276CC of the Act could be said to have been committed on the

dates immediately following the due date for furnishing the return of

income for both these assessment years respectively. Thus, the offence

for the AY 2011-12 could be said to have been committed on

01.10.2011 and the offence for the AY 2013-14 could be said to have

been committed on 01.11.2013.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 50 of 59

70. Therefore, it can be said without a cavil of doubt that both the offences

under Section 276CC of the Act were committed prior to the date of

issue of any show cause notice for prosecution.

71. It was submitted by the respondents that even if the offences committed

by the appellant for AY 2011-12 and AY 2013-14 could be said to have

been committed before the issuance of the show cause notice dated

27.10.2014, the appellant would still be covered by the subsequent part

of the definition of “first offence” as the appellant had voluntarily

disclosed the commission of the offences for the AY 2011-12 and 2013-

14 respectively by filing belated return of income for the said

assessment years. In other words, the respondents contended that the

very act of filing belated return of income by the appellant amounts to

voluntary disclosure of commission of offence for the purpose of

Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines which defines the expression “first

offence”. The latter part of the definition of the expression “first

offence” reads as follows:

“Offence not detected by the department but voluntarily

disclosed by a person prior to the filing of application for

compounding of offence in the case under any Direct Tax

Acts. For this purpose, offence is relevant if it is committed

by the same entity. The first offence is to be determined

separately with reference to each section of the Act under

which it is committed.”

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 51 of 59

72. We find it difficult to agree with the contention advanced by the

respondents that even if the appellant is not covered by the first part of

the definition of the expression “first offence”, he will still be covered

by the latter half which is reproduced in the preceding paragraph.

Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines has defined a “first offence” in two

different manners:

a. First, all those offences which are committed by the assessee

prior to a formal intimation of his liability for being prosecuted

by the Department are to be treated as “first offence” and it shall

be open to the assessee to pray for the compounding of such

offences subject to other requirements being fulfilled.

b. Second, any offence which is voluntarily disclosed by the

assessee before its detection by the Department would also be

treated as a “first offence”.

73. The scheme that permeates Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines allows

only those offences to be treated as the “first offence” which are

committed by the assessee either prior to a notice that he is liable to

prosecution under the Act for the commission of such offences or those

offences which are voluntarily disclosed by the assessee to the

Department before they come to be detected. The latter part of the

definition of the expression “first offence” is not to curtail the scope of

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 52 of 59

the first half but to expand its ambit by including those cases where the

assessee comes forward on his own initiative and discloses the

commission of the offence. The meaning as sought to be given by the

respondents to Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines would turn the very

purpose of having a two-fold definition of “first offence” on its head

and thus cannot be accepted for it would take away the incentive of

coming forward and voluntarily disclosing the commission of offences

from erring-assessees.

74. Voluntary disclosure for the purpose of Paragraph 8 of the 2014

guidelines has to be construed in a manner which ensures that such

disclosure on part of the assessee saves the Department from the trials

and tribulations of having to detect the commission of offence by the

assessee by setting into motion its own machinery of detection of

offences. Neither the filing of belated return of income by the assessee

nor the making of an application for compounding of offence after a

show cause notice has already been issued to the assessee fulfills this

underlying idea of saving the Department from the inconvenience of

detecting the offence. Even after a belated return of income is filed, the

Department is still required to process the return, identify the cases

wherein offences have been committed, issue show cause notices to the

defaulting assessees and thereafter prosecute the offenders to recover

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 53 of 59

the dues and punish the offenders. A voluntary disclosure by the

assessee before the stage of detection by the Department besides being

economically viable also saves time and efforts on part of the

Department and also ensures that the dues are recovered promptly.

75. The primary purpose of the prosecution provisions enshrined in Chapter

XXII of the Act is to ensure the penalization of offenders adjudged

guilty of tax evasion and other tax-related offenses, while

simultaneously instilling a deterring effect in the minds of those who

might contemplate circumventing the payment of lawful taxes. When

an assessee voluntarily discloses the commission of an offence, he

cannot be said to have the intention of evading payment of taxes.

76. The appellant submitted that the 2014 guidelines are directory in nature

and the respondents could not have solely relied upon the guidelines to

reject his application for compounding without taking into account the

attendant extraordinary circumstances pointed out by the him as the

cause for the commission of the offences. The appellant placed reliance

on a decision of the Delhi High Court delivered in the case of Sports

Infratech P. Ltd. & Anr. v. Deputy Commissioner of Income-tax

reported in 2017 SCC OnLine Del 6543 in support of his submission.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 54 of 59

77. In Sports Infratech (supra), the petitioner therein assailed the order

rejecting its application for compounding of the offence under Section

276B of the Act. The application was rejected on the ground that the

petitioner did not fulfil the criteria for consideration of its application as

per the guidelines issued by the CBDT. Allowing the writ petition, the

High Court observed that an application for compounding of an offence

cannot be rejected without having regard to the specific facts of the case.

The Court highlighted that the guidelines do not limit the authorities

from exercising their discretion and therefore the authorities, while

exercising their power under Section 279, are required to consider the

objective facts in the application before it. The relevant observations

from the said decision are reproduced hereinbelow:

“6. The learned counsel for the Revenue urges that the

binding nature of the Board's instructions and guidelines

is apparent from Explanation to section 279(3) which

clarifies that the power to grant or refuse compounding is

essentially discretionary and actually administrative.

Therefore, the guidelines framed for its exercise under

section 279 are binding upon all Revenue authorities

including the Chief Commissioner. Learned counsel relied

upon the Supreme Court decision in Asst. CIT v. Velliappa

Textiles Ltd. (2003) 263 ITR 550 (SC) to highlight that

compounding application cannot be concluded to as a

matter of right but rather is subject to exercise of

discretion. There is no quarrel with the proposition that

power to accept a plea for compounding or refusal is

essentially discretionary. The exercise, however, in each

case is dependent upon the authority who has to apply his

or her mind judiciously to the circumstances of each case.

The rejection of the petitioner's application in this case is

entirely routed on the Chief Commissioner's

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 55 of 59

understanding of the conditions of ineligibility of para.

8(v) apply. In this court's opinion, that view was based

upon an erroneous understanding of law. Whilst

guidelines no doubt are to be kept in mind specially while

exercising jurisdiction, they cannot blind the authority

from considering the objective facts before it. In the

present case the petitioner's failure to deposit the amount

collected was beyond its control and was on account of

seizure of books of account and documents, etc. But for

such seizure, the petitioner would quite reasonably be

expected to deposit the amount within the time prescribed

or at least within the reasonable time. Instead of

considering these factors on their merits and examining

whether indeed they were true or not, the Chief

Commissioner felt compelled by the text of para. 8(v). That

condition, no doubt is important and has to be kept in

mind, cannot be only determining. In the present case, the

material on record in the form of a letter by the

Superintendent of CBI also shows that a closure report

was in fact filed before the competent court. Having

regard to all these facts, this court is of the opinion that

the refusal to consider and accept the petitioner's

application under section 279(2) cannot be sustained. The

impugned order is hereby set aside.”

78. As we have discussed in the preceding parts of this judgment, Paragraph

4 of the 2014 guidelines specifies that compounding is not a matter of

right of the assessee and the competent authority may allow the

compounding application upon being satisfied that the applicant fulfills

the eligibility conditions and keeping in mind the conduct of the

applicant, nature and magnitude of the offence and the facts and

circumstances of each case. Further, Paragraph 7 of the guidelines

prescribes the eligibility conditions and Paragraph 8 provides those

cases which are generally not to be compounded. Paragraph 9 carves

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 56 of 59

out an exception and empowers the Minister of Finance to relax the

conditions laid down in Paragraph 8 of the 2014 guidelines and allow

compounding in a deserving case.

79. A plain reading of the 2014 guidelines reveals that while it is mandatory

that the eligibility conditions prescribed under Paragraph 7 are to be

satisfied, the restrictions laid down in Paragraph 8 have to be read along

with Paragraph 4 of the Act which provides that the exercise of

discretion by the competent authority is to be guided by the facts and

circumstances of each case, the conduct of the appellant and nature and

magnitude of offence. Seen thus, it becomes clear that the restrictions

laid down in Paragraph 8 of the guidelines are although required to be

generally followed, the guidelines do not exclude the possibility that in

a peculiar case where the facts and circumstances so require, the

competent authority cannot make an exception and allow the

compounding application.

80. We have also had the benefit of looking at the Guidelines for

Compounding of Offences under Direct Tax Laws, 2019 and the

Guidelines for Compounding of Offences under Direct Tax Laws, 2022

issued by the CBDT. In both the said Guidelines, the offence under

Section 276CC has been made a Category A offence instead of a

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 57 of 59

Category B offence and is compoundable up to three occasions.

Although this would not have any direct implication on the case at hand

since the same is governed by the 2014 guidelines, yet what this

indicates is that there is a clear shift in the policy of the Department

when it comes to the compounding of offences under Section 276CC in

particular and in making the compounding regime more flexible and

liberal in particular.

F. CONCLUSION

81. For all the aforesaid reasons, we have reached the conclusion that the

High Court fell in error in rejecting the writ petition filed by the

appellant against the order passed by the Chief Commissioner of

Income Tax, Vadodara rejecting the application for compounding. The

offence as alleged to have been committed by the appellant under

Section 276CC of the Act for the AY 2013-14 is, without a doubt,

covered by the expression “first offence” as defined under the 2014

guidelines and thus the compounding application preferred by the

appellant could not have been rejected by Respondent no. 1 on this

ground alone.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 58 of 59

82. The impugned order passed by the High Court as well as the order

passed by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Vadodara dated

14.02.2017 rejecting the compounding application of the appellant are

hereby set aside.

83. The appellant shall prefer a fresh application for compounding before

the competent authority within two weeks from the date of this

judgment and the same shall be adjudicated by the competent authority

having regard to the conduct of the appellant, the nature of the offence

and the facts and circumstances of the case within a period of four weeks

from the date on which the application is filed by the appellant.

84. The proceedings pending before the Trial Court shall remain stayed

pending the decision of the competent authority on the compounding

application of the appellant.

85. In the event the fresh compounding application of the appellant is

accepted by the competent authority, the proceedings pending before

the Trial Court shall stand abated. If the compounding application is

rejected by the competent authority, then the trial shall continue and be

brought to its logical conclusion.

SLP (C) NO. 20519 of 2024 Page 59 of 59

86. The appeal is disposed of in the aforesaid terms.

87. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.

………………………………………J.

(J.B. Pardiwala)

………………………………………J.

(Sanjay Karol)

New Delhi;

February 07

th

, 2025