Assessment after partition of a Hindu undivided family
G.—Partition
Assessment after Partition of a Hindu undivided family
171. (1) A Hindu family hitherto assessed as undivided shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act, to continue to be a Hindu undivided family, except where and in so far as a finding of partition has been given under this section in respect of the Hindu undivided family.
(2) Where, at the time of making an assessment under section 143 or section 144, it is claimed by or on behalf of any member of a Hindu family assessed as undivided that a partition, where total or partial, has taken place among the members of such family, the Income-tax Officer shall make an inquiry thereinto after giving notice of the inquiry to all the members of the family.
(3) On the completion of the inquiry, the Income-tax Officer shall record a finding as to whether there has been a total or partial partition of the joint family property, and, if there has been such a partition, the date on which it has taken place.
(4) Where a finding of total or partial partition has been recorded by the Income-tax Officer under this section, and the partition took place during the previous year,—
(a) the total income of the joint family in respect of the period up to the date of partition shall be assessed as if no partition had taken place ; and
(b) each member or group of members shall, in addition to any tax for which he or it may be separately liable and notwithstanding anything contained in clause (2) of section 10, be jointly and severally liable for the tax on the income so assessed.
(5) Where a finding of total or partial partition has been recorded by the Income-tax Officer under this section, and the partition took place after the expiry of the previous year, the total income of the previous year of the joint family shall be assessed as if no partition had taken place; and the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (4) shall, so far as may be, apply to the case.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, if the Income-tax Officer finds after completion of the assessment of a Hindu undivided family that the family has already effected a partition, whether total or partial, the Income-tax Officer shall proceed to recover the tax from every person who was a member of the family before the partition, and every such person shall be jointly and severally liable for the tax on the income so assessed.
(7) For the purposes of this section, the several liability of any member or group of members thereunder shall be computed according to the portion of the joint family property allotted to him or it at the partition, whether total or partial.
(8) The provisions of this section shall, so for as may be, apply in relation to the levy and collection of any penalty, interest, fine or other sum in respect of any period up to the date of partition, whether total or partial of a Hindu undivided family as they apply in relation to the levy and collection of tax in respect of any such period.
Explanation-—In this section,—
(a) “partition” means—
(i) where the property admits of a physical division a physical division of the property, but a physical division of the income without a physical division of the property producing the income shall not be deemed to be a partition; or
(ii) where the property does not admit of a physical division, then such division as the property admits of but a mere severance of status shall not be deemed to be a partition;
(b) “partial partition” means a partition which is a partial as regards the persons constituting the Hindu undivided family, or the properties belonging to the Hindu undivided family, or both.
[As amended by the Finance Act, 1965]