Sisi Welly v. the Union of India and 4 Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Writ petition (WP(C)/182/2022, Gauhati High Court, Itanagar Bench, Justice Soumitra Saikia, 04.09.2025) by Sisi Welly against Union of India and Income Tax authorities challenging faceless assessment order dated 30.03.2022 under Section 144 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 passed without considering the assessee's reply already on record (received 29.03.2022), raising demand of Rs. 3,94,69,944/-. Held: assessment order and demand set aside; alternative remedy no bar where order passed contrary to law ignoring the reply; matter remanded to assessing authority to reconsider in light of the petitioner's response; Section 10(26) exemption claim (indigenous resident of Arunachal Pradesh) noted. Keywords: Section 144 IT Act; Section 10(26) IT Act; National Faceless Assessment Centre; natural justice; alternative remedy; income tax exemption Arunachal Pradesh.
What did the court decide?
Impugned assessment order dated 30.03.2022 and the demand raised thereunder set aside; matter remanded to the assessing authority to pass appropriate orders placing reliance on the petitioner's response; interim order(s) if any stand merged and pending IAs if any are disposed of.