33A. Refunds. — (1) Where, as a result of any order passed in appeal or other proceeding under
this Act, refund of any amount becomes due to the assessee, the 3
[Assessing Officer] shall, except as
otherwise provided in this Act, refund the amount to the assessee without his having to make any
claim in that behalf:
4
[Provided that where, by the order aforesaid,—
(a) an assessment is set aside or cancelled and an order of fresh assessment is directed to be
made, the refund, if any, shall become due only on the making of such fresh assessment;
(b) the assessment is annulled, the refund shall become due only of the amount, if any, of the
tax paid in excess of the tax chargeable on the 5
[taxable gifts] returned by the assessee.]
6
[(2) Where refund of any amount becomes due to the assessee as a result of an order under this
Act or under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 15 after a return has been made under
section 13 or section 14 or in response to a notice under clause (i) of sub-section (4) of section 15 and
the Assessing Officer is of the opinion, having regard to the fact that,—
(i) a notice has been issued, or is likely to be issued, under sub-section (2) of section 15 in
respect of the said return; or
(ii) the order is the subject-matter of an appeal or further proceeding; or
(iii) any other proceeding under this Act is pending,
that the grant of the refund is likely to adversely affect the revenue, the 3
[Assessing Officer] may, with the
previous approval of the Chief Commissioner or Commissioner, withhold the refund till such time as the
Chief Commissioner or Commissioner may determine.]
1. Subs. by Act 4 of 1988 s. 179, for “Explanation II” (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
2. Ins. by Act 53 of 1962, s. 25 (w.e.f. 1-4-1963).
3. Subs. by Act 4 of 1988, s. 161, for “Gift-tax Officer” (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
4. The proviso added by Act 4 of 1988, s. 180 (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
5. Subs. by Act 3 of 1989, s. 90, for “total income” (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
6. Subs. by Act 36 of 1989, s. 33, for sub-section (2) (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
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(3) Where a refund is due to the assessee in pursuance of an order referred to in sub-section (1)
and the 1
[Assessing Officer] does not grant the refund within a period of six months from the date of
such order, the Central Government shall pay to the assessee simple interest at 2
[fifteen per cent.] per
annum on the amount of refund due from the date immediately following the expiry of the period of
six months aforesaid to the date on which the refund is granted.
3
[(3A) Where the whole or any part of the refund referred it in sub-section (3) is due to an
assessee as a result of any amount having been paid by him after the 31st day of March, 1975, in
pursuance of any order of assessment or penalty and such amount or any part thereof having been
found in appeal or other proceeding under this Act to be in excess of the amount which such assessee
is liable to pay as tax or penalty, as the case may be, under this Act, the Central Government shall
pay to such assessee simple interest at the rate specified in sub-section (3) on the amount so found to
be in excess from the date on which such amount was paid to the date on which the refund is
granted :
Provided that, where the amount so found to be in excess was paid in instalments, such interest
shall be payable on the amount of each such instalments or any part of such instalment, which was in
excess, from the date on which such instalment was paid to the date on which the refund is granted :
Provided further that no interest under this sub-section shall be payable for a period of one month
from the date of the passing of the order in appeal or other proceeding :
Provided also that, where any interest is payable to an assessee under this sub-section, no interest
under sub-section (3) shall be payable to him in respect of the amount so found to be in excess.]
(4) Where a refund is withheld under the provisions of sub-section (2), the Central Government
shall pay interest at the aforesaid rate on the amount of refund ultimately determined to be due as a
result of the appeal or further proceedings for a period commencing after the expiry of six months
from the date of the order referred to in that sub-section to the date the refund is granted.
4
[(4A) The provisions of sub-sections (3), (3A) and (4) shall not apply in respect of any
assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1989, or any subsequent
assessment year.
(4B) (a)
5
[Where refund of any amount becomes due to the assessee under this Act,] he shall,
subject to the provisions of this sub-section, be entitled to receive, in addition to the said amount,
simple interest thereon calculated at the rate of one 6
* * * per cent. for every month or part of a
month comprised in the period or periods from the date or, as the case may be, dates of payment of
the tax or penalty to the date on which the refund is granted.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, “date of payment of the tax or penalty” means the
date on and from which the amount of tax or penalty specified in the notice of demand issued under
section 31 is paid in excess of such demand.
1. Subs. by Act 4 of 1988, s. 161, for “Gift-tax Officer” (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
2. Subs. by Act 67 of 1984, s. 75, for “twelve per cent.” (w.e.f. 1-10-1984).
3. Ins. by Act 41 of 1975, s. 118 (w.e.f. 1-10-1975).
4. Ins. by Act 4 of 1988, s. 180 (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
5. Subs. by Act 3 of 1989, s. 90, for “Where, in pursuance of any order passed under this Act, the refund of any amount
becomes due to the assess” (w.e.f. 1-4-1989).
6. The words “and a half” omitted by Act 49 of 1991, s. 89 (w.e.f. 1-10-1991).
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(b) If the proceedings resulting in the refund are delayed for reasons attributable to the assessee,
whether wholly or in part, period of the delay so attributable to him shall be excluded from the period
for which interest is payable, and where any question arises as to the period to be excluded, it shall be
decided by the Chief Commissioner or Commissioner whose decision thereon shall be final.
(c) Where, as a result of an order under 1
[sub-section (3) or sub-section (5) of section 15 or]
section 16 or section 22 or section 23 or section 24 or section 26 or section 28 or section 34, the
amount on which the interest was payable under clause (a) has been increased or reduced, as the case
may be, interest shall be increased or reduced accordingly, and, in a case where the interest is
reduced, the Assessing Officer shall serve on the assessee a notice of demand in the prescribed form
specifying the amount of the excess interest paid and requiring him to pay such amount; and such
notice of demand shall be deemed to be a notice under section 31 and the provisions of this Act shall
apply accordingly.
(d) The provisions of this sub-section shall apply in respect of assessments for the assessment
year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1989, and subsequent assessment years.]
(5) Where under any of the provisions of this Act, a refund is found to be due to any person, the
2
[Assessing Officer], 3
[Deputy Commissioner (Appeals)] 4
[Commissioner (Appeals)] or 5
[Chief
Commissioner or Commissioner], as the case may be, may, in lieu of payment of the refund, set off the
amount to be refunded or any part of that amount, against the sum, if any, remaining payable under this
Act by the person to whom the refund is due, after giving an intimation in writing to such person of the
action proposed to be taken under this section.]