When the Income Tax Department writes to you, the calendar starts ticking. A careful first response often decides whether a matter resolves quietly — or escalates.
Discuss a Notice →Most direct-tax matters begin with a notice — a Section 142(1) inquiry, a 143(2) scrutiny, or a 148 reassessment. Each carries its own response window, statutory framework, and traps. The reply you file is read again at every subsequent stage; sloppy admissions made in the first round are difficult to undo at appeal.
My practice combines the technical depth of a Chartered Accountant with case-law research at the rigour expected of an appellate brief. For straightforward compliance matters I'll handle the entire workflow. For contested matters, I'll draft, represent, and — where the issue is novel or the stakes warrant — coordinate with senior counsel for ITAT and High Court appearances.
References below cite the Income-tax Act, 1961, followed (where applicable) by the corresponding provision under the Income-tax Act, 2025 — effective from 1 April 2026 for tax year 2026-27 onwards. Legacy matters arising under the 1961 Act continue to be governed by it.
Faceless and physical scrutiny under Sections 143(2) / 142(1) of the 1961 Act (corresponding scrutiny and inquiry provisions under Section 268 of the Income-tax Act, 2025), reassessment proceedings under Section 148 (Section 281 of the 2025 Act) — including the post-2021 procedure with prior approval and the 148A enquiry (Section 280 of the 2025 Act) — and revision matters under Section 263 (Section 305 of the 2025 Act). Each requires its own approach; the 148 framework in particular has been substantially reshaped by recent Supreme Court rulings.
Drafting of Form 35, grounds of appeal, and statement of facts for CIT(Appeals). Personal representation at first-appellate hearings. For ITAT matters, I prepare the paper-book, draft the appeal, and either appear or coordinate with tax counsel depending on the bench and the issue. Stays of demand and instalment applications are handled in parallel.
Income tax returns under Section 139 of the 1961 Act (Section 263 of the 2025 Act) for individuals, partnership firms, LLPs, companies, and charitable trusts — including the more demanding filings for entities registered under Sections 12A / 80G (corresponding to Sections 332 / 354 of the 2025 Act). Tax Audit Reports (Form 3CA/3CB-3CD) under Section 44AB (Section 63 of the 2025 Act), MAT Reports (Form 29B) under Section 115JB (Section 206 of the 2025 Act), and Charitable Trust Audit Reports (Form 10B / 10BB).
Year-end and transaction-driven planning for individuals and closely-held entities — including capital gains structuring, family-trust planning, succession, and the choice between the old and new regimes for high-income earners.
F&O and intraday traders sit in a tax category that's substantially different from buy-and-hold investors, and getting the classification wrong is the single biggest source of avoidable assessment risk. F&O is non-speculative business income; intraday equity is speculative business income; delivery-based equity is capital gains. Each carries its own set-off rules, audit thresholds, and presumptive options.
The practice handles: classification audit of trading P&L (capital gains vs business income vs speculative), Section 44AB (Section 63 of the 2025 Act) tax-audit applicability for traders, Section 44AD (Section 58 of the 2025 Act) presumptive evaluation, loss set-off and carry-forward planning across heads, and ICAI Guidance Note compliance for tax audit of F&O turnover. This is tax-side advisory only — investment decisions remain with the trader and their broker.
Section 143(2) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the corresponding scrutiny provision is in Section 268 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, for tax year 2026-27 onwards). The notice itself specifies the response window — typically 15 days from issue. The reply must address every item raised; a partial response can be treated as non-compliance and trigger best-judgment assessment under Section 144 (Section 271 of the 2025 Act).
I'd strongly advise engaging counsel before the first hearing, because positions taken in this round are difficult to reopen later.
Technically yes, but a Section 148 notice (Section 281 of the Income-tax Act, 2025) means the Assessing Officer believes income has escaped assessment — the threshold question is whether the reopening is even valid under the post-2021 regime (Section 148A enquiry / Section 280 of the 2025 Act). That is a jurisdictional argument, and the right time to raise it is in the first reply, not at appeal.
Professional drafting is worth the cost. Once you've conceded jurisdiction, the merits become much harder to defend.
Yes. I handle drafting of Form 35, grounds of appeal, statement of facts, and personal representation at CIT(A).
For ITAT matters I'll either appear or coordinate with a tax counsel depending on complexity and bench. High-Court writs are referred to a panel of senior counsel I work with.
A fixed retainer for the matter, with a modest success-fee component layered on top — the two together align your interests and mine. The success-fee piece keeps the engagement motivated by outcome, not by hours billed.
Where preferred, pure hourly or pure fixed structures are also available. I quote after a 20-minute discovery call once I've seen the notice and supporting papers.
The notice itself, the relevant ITR-V and computation, Form 26AS / AIS for the year, and any prior correspondence with the department.
If a previous CA has already replied, I'll want that reply too — it shapes the position from here.
It depends on your F&O turnover as computed under the ICAI Guidance Note — which is the sum of absolute differences (favourable + unfavourable settlements), not the trading turnover figure from your broker. Tax audit under Section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (Section 63 of the Income-tax Act, 2025) applies once this exceeds ₹10 crore, given that ≥95% of receipts and payments are digital (which they almost always are for F&O).
It can also kick in under Section 44AB(e) if you declare a loss while opting out of presumptive treatment under Section 44AD (Section 58 of the 2025 Act). To preserve carry-forward of those losses, the ITR must be filed by the audit-case due date (typically 31 October). This is tax-side classification only; it does not constitute investment advice.
The first call is unhurried, confidential, and at no charge.
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