Karnataka High Court
M/S Shoppers City vs Union Of India on 29 October, 2025
Author: S.R.Krishna Kumar
Bench: S.R.Krishna Kumar
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NC: 2025:KHC:43290
WP No. 32063 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR
WRIT PETITION NO. 32063 OF 2025 (T-IT)
BETWEEN:
1. M/S SHOPPERS CITY
439, 1ST MAIN ROAD,
PAI LAYOUT, K R PURAM,
BENGALURU 560 016
UNREGISTERED
REPRESENTED BY ITS PARTNER,
SHRI M. V. ABDUL SALEEM,
AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS,
FLAT NO. 3171,
PRESTIGE BAGAMANE TEMPLE BELLS,
RAJARAJESHWARI NAGAR,
BENGALURU 560 098
...PETITIONER
(BY SRI. LOCHANA S BABU.,ADVOCATE)
Digitally signed
by AND:
SHARADAVANI
B
Location: High
Court of 1. UNION OF INDIA
Karnataka THROUGH THE SECRETARY,
MINISTRY OF FINANCE,
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,
NORTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI - 110 001
2. MINISTRY OF FINANCE,
THROUGH THE SECRETARY,
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE,
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,
NORTH BLOCK,
NEW DELHI - 110 001
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WP No. 32063 of 2025
HC-KAR
3. CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES,
THROUGH THE SECRETARY,
MINISTRY OF FINANCE,
NORTH BLOCK,
NEW DELHI - 110 001
4. INCOME TAX OFFICER,
WARD - 4(1)(1), BMTC BUILDING,
80 FEET ROAD, 6TH BLOCK,
NEAR KHB GAMES VILLAGE,
KORAMANGALA,
BENGALURU - 560 095
5. CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX - (1),
NO. 1, CENTRAL REVENUE BUILDING,
QUEENS ROAD,
BENGALURU - 560 001
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. E.I.SANMATHI, ADVOCATE FOR R1 TO R5)
THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 226 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO A) DECLARE THAT
THE EXPLANATION 2 TO SECTION 148 AS WELL AS PROVISO
TO SECTION 148A OF THE ACT IS ULTRA VIRES AND ISSUE A
WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT OR
ORDER OR DIRECTION AND QUASH THE EXPLANATION 2 TO
SECTION 148 AS WELL AS PROVISO TO SECTION 148A OF THE
ACT AT ANNEXURE - A AND A1 RESPECTIVELY AND ETC.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY,
ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR
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NC: 2025:KHC:43290
WP No. 32063 of 2025
HC-KAR
ORAL ORDER
In this petition, petitioner seeks the following reliefs:
"Wherefore, it is prayed that this Hon'ble Court be pleased to:
a) Declare that the Explanation 2 to section 148 as well as proviso to section 148A of the Act is ultra vires and issue a writ of Certiorari or any other appropriate writ or order or direction and quash the Explanation 2 to section 148 as well as proviso to section 148A of the Act at Annexure - A and A1 respectively.
b) Issue a Writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a Writ of Certiorari quashing the sanction dated 30.03.2025 accorded under section 151 of the Act for the AY 2020-21 by the Respondent No. 5 bearing DIN ITBA/AST/S/125/2024-25/1075277917(1), herein marked as Annexure - A2.
c) Issue a Writ of Certiorari or direction in the nature of a Writ of Certiorari quashing the notice dated 30.03.2025 issued under section 148 of the Act for the AY 2020-21 by the Respondent No. 4 bearing DIN ITBA/AST/S/148/2024-25/1075279406(1), herein marked as Annexure - A3.
d)And pass such other orders and grant such other reliefs as this Hon'ble High Court deems fit including the cost of this Writ Petition in the interest of justice and equity."
2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the respondents and perused the material on record.
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NC: 2025:KHC:43290 WP No. 32063 of 2025 HC-KAR
3. In addition to reiterating the various contentions urged in the memorandum of petition and referring to the material on record, learned counsel for the petitioner invited my attention to the order of a Co- ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Ramachandra Reddy Ravi Kumar Vs. Deputy Commissioner of Income-tax - W.P.No.17352/2022 and connected matters - dated 28.08.2025, in order to contend that the present petition deserves to be allowed and disposed of in terms of the said order.
4. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondents submits that there is no merit in the petition and that the same is liable to be dismissed.
5. As rightly contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner the present petition is directly and squarely covered by the decision of a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Ramachandra Reddy Ravi Kumar Vs. Deputy Commissioner of Income-tax - -5-
NC: 2025:KHC:43290 WP No. 32063 of 2025 HC-KAR W.P.No.17352/2022 and connected matters - dated 28.08.2025, the operative portion of which reads as under:
"13. I, therefore, pass the following:
ORDER
(i) The impugned show cause notices issued by the jurisdictional Assessing Officer outside the scope of Section 151-A of the Act stand obliterated. All further proceedings initiated thereto, challenged in these cases would stand quashed.
(ii) Liberty is reserved to the respondents - revenue to revive all these petitions in the event the Apex Court would hold in favour of the Revenue in the pending before it.
(iii) With the aforesaid liberty and to the aforesaid extent, the petitions are allowed.
(iv) Contentions of both the parties except the one noted hereinabove, shall remain open to be considered in the event revival of these petitions would become necessary."
6. The aforesaid order is applicable to the facts and circumstances of the instant case and consequently, the present petition also deserves to be disposed of in terms of the judgment of co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Ramachandra Reddy's case (supra).
7. In the result, I pass the following: -6-
NC: 2025:KHC:43290 WP No. 32063 of 2025 HC-KAR ORDER
(i) The petition is allowed and disposed of in terms of the decision of a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Ramachandra Reddy Ravi Kumar Vs. Deputy Commissioner of Income-tax -
W.P.No.17352/2022 and connected matters
- dated 28.08.2025.
(ii) The impugned show cause notices and consequential orders, notices etc., at Annexures- A & A1(both nil dated) and Annexures A2 and A3 both dated 30.03.2025 are hereby quashed.
(iii) Liberty is reserved in favour of the respondents
- Revenue to seek revival of this petition, subsequent to disposal of the matters pending before the Apex Court and all rival contentions between the parties in this regard are kept open and no opinion is expressed on the same.
Sd/-
(S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE BSV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 15